Revenge from the grave
by black blade1
Summary: Slash, One year has passed since the day Harry Potter was killed by Voldemort in a desperate effort to save Snape from certain death. Harry is back from the grave to finish the job he was born to do. Kill the murderer of his parents.
1. Awakenings

Title: Revenge from the grave.

Author: Black blade

Chapter tile: Awakening.

Disclaimer: umm, looks up innocently, not mine.

Summary: Slash. One year has passed since the day Harry Potter was killed by Voldemort in a desperate effort to save Snape from certain death. Harry is back from the grave to finish the job he was born to do. Kill the murderer of his parents. Will he succeed or will he fall? For there's no coming back from the dead if he fails, again.

Beta: Websurfer. Thanks mate, any other mistakes found are purely mine.

Chapter 1 - Awakenings

Standing in front of a large black grave stone stood two lovers in mourning over their friend's grave. Hermione Granger with a silent tear sliding down her face stepped forward to place a bundle of white lilies onto the grave in front of the two. Ron Weasley, her boyfriend of a year, watched in sadness, his loss for his best friend still fresh in his mind.

"He should have been a hero," Ron whispered hoarsely. "He was born a hero and he died while saving another. He should have been a hero."

"He's a hero in the eyes of the ones that matter," Hermione added.

"He's a bloody idiot for what he did!" Ron exploded, turning burning eye on the grave in front of him. "You hear me, mate! You were a foolish idiot! Why did you put your life in front of _his?_"

Ron's last words trailed off with a soft sob, his energy and grief spent as he looked down at the unforgiving black stone.

"Shh, It's okay, Ron." Hermione said calmly warping her arms around her boyfriend. "He did what he thought was right."

"How could he have done it, Hermione?" Ron asked, softly. "He never liked the man and he gave his life to save him."

"I don't know, Ron." Said the girl who'd believed she'd known the answer to everything, but in this matter she was just as clueless as Ron.

"I miss him Hermione. Even though it's been a year I still miss him," Ron cried.

"Shh, I know," Hermione soothing whispered. "I miss him too."

The two friends stood there wrapped up around the other as they gazed down at the person that was missing from their trio. The grave gave them sadness but it also gave them hope. They would not stop fighting until the monster that had taken their friend's life was six feet under, preferably in ash and locked in a steel box. They would make sure Lord Voldemort could never rise again.

The two stood there for a few more minutes before saying their good-byes and hand in hand made their way out of the Godric's Hollow Cemetery.

A large crow watched them leave with beady black eyes. Most people wouldn't have even given the black bird a second glance. To see a crow wasn't an uncommon sight, but this crow was different from it's many other brethren. He was a keeper of a soul, a soul that couldn't rest. He could feel the person's soul struggling to be released and death had decided to grant this little one's wish.

With a cry the crow lifted up into the air and landed on the black stone of the grave of the restless soul. The crow tilted his head to look at the upside down name. 'Harry James Potter' was carved deep into the stone, a slight film of dust and dirt clung to the groves; which was expected.

The crow waited for the sun to set, the day of the dead didn't begin until the sun passed over the horizon. The dead couldn't release their charges until the day had fled and the darkness had set in, and for what the crow was going to do next he needed all the help he could get.

The sun slowly lowered in the sky casting the sky into burning oranges, blazing pinks and gold. The crow could already feel the dead around him. The night of Halloween was stirring.

The crow cried loudly as the last of the rays of sun disappeared and the darkness settled in. The time had come, he felt it in his bones, as the body beneath his talons stirred after a year of rest. The soul slammed into the chest of the boy and the crow could hear the thud of the boy's first heart beat.

One year after the death of Harry James Potter the soil began to shift, as if something was pushing up from below the surface. Silence overcame the graveyard even the crow was quiet.

Thump, thump, thump, THUMP, THUMP!

The crow flapped his wings as the sound grew louder like a drum beating in time with a newly awakened heartbeat. The ground moved again pushing up against the six feet of dirt above the casket. Above the beating of the drum the ground could be hear groaning under the stain of the thing underneath it. Slowly a crack began to be seen which grew larger by the minute.

Suddenly a human hand broken through the soil, its fingers twisted into a claw, the crow called out to its owner in almost like a greeting. The hand soon became an arm as more of the body appeared. The hand pulled at the grass and dirt trying to dig itself out. A dirt incrusted form of a seventeen year old boy appeared above the ground, gasping in pain. The boy scrambled free of his dirt prison his lungs burning as it took in air it had been denied for a year.

He rolled onto his side coughing up soil onto the upturned earth. Tears making tracks down the pale boy's face from his watering bright green eyes. The crow fluttered his wings, making the boy look up at the tombstone the crow rested on. The moon high in the night sky shone down on the boy and the crow. It was then that the black haired youth noticed what was written on the stone in front of him.

**Harry James Potter  
****Born: 31st of July, 1980.  
****Died: 31st of October, 1996  
****Beloved friend and hero,  
****We will miss you for all time.**

The boy, once known as Harry Potter, lifted pain filled green eyes to the large black bird that rested on his tombstone. The bird crowed, a long sorrowful note that filled the night air. Making Harry moan and glare at his damn saviour as he tried to remember what happened. His memory was like sand easily seen but unable to hold onto. On impulse he reached out a hand to the stone as his finger tips scraped the surface of the grave images surfaced in his confused mind.

_"We gather here today to mourn the passing of a boy that was taken too early in his life..." A voice rang over the rows of mourners. _

_In front of the podium sat Hermione Granger crying into the shoulder of her boyfriend Ronald Weasley, to the left of Ron sat a group of red heads. The mother of the group, Molly Weasley, grasped the shoulder of her husband in two hands as she sobbed into his shirt. Harry had been like a son to her and the pain was equal to the loss of one of her own. To the other side of Hermione was seated a silent Remus Lupin tears sliding down his face as he watched the last remaining marauder, even though he was a son of a marauder, pass from this world. To his side sat Severus Snape, still sporting a sling and bruises, the man's black eyes giving away nothing he felt inside, but it was easy to tell the man was in pain mentally. Behind that row sat Harry's teachers and surprising enough Dudley Dursley. _

_As the casket was slowly lowered into the ground Harry's friends, adopted family and teachers, standing in front of their chairs, watched as the remains of their friend, student or son settle into his last resting place. No reporter or masses of Harry Potter fans were present, only the ones who had known him, just as he would have wanted._

_The casket finally came to a rest in the ground with a soft thunk, those gathered stood and formed a line to say their final good byes to the dearly departed Harry Potter. _

_When Hermione reached the grave she kissed her fingers and placed them on top of the black marble tombstone. _

"_You will be missed Harry," the girl whispered. _

_She bent down and grasped a fist full of dirt, she held her hand over the grave and let the dirt fall through her fingers and onto the coffin, like those before her had. She looked once more at the tombstone before turning and sobbing into the shirt of her waiting boyfriend who silently lead her away._

_Severus Snape came to stand at the edge of the grave next. He looked down into the hole, his black eyes, for the first time, shinning in sadness. He stood there for a minute more before with a practiced move spun on his heels and stalked off, heading towards the gravesite's grates, without looking back._

Harry shook the images away, pulling himself to his feet. The crow left its post, landing on Harry's shoulder. He lifted one hand to stroke the bird's feathers his face breaking into a half smile, which looked eerie on the pale boy's face. He closed his eyes for a minute feeling the blood pumping through his veins and the strength in his muscles.

He opened his eyes the smile deepening as he turned in one movement, striding away from his grave without a backwards glance. A slight rain started to fall around him washing the dirt away from the once dead boy. He passed the gate, which swung closed behind him with a bang. He had a lot to do and as they say, 'Revenge is a dish best severed cold.'


	2. Finding his heart

Title: Revenge from the grave.

Author: Black blade

Chapter tile: Awakening.

Summary: Slash. One year has passed since the day Harry Potter was killed by Voldemort in a desperate effort to save Snape from certain death. Harry is back from the grave to finish the job he was born to do. Kill the murderer of his parents. Will he succeed or will he fall? For there's no coming back from the dead if he fails, again.

Beta: Websurfer. Thanks mate, any other mistakes found are purely mine.

Disclaimer: I own nothing I've just borrowed the characters of Harry Potter for a while, I promise to give them back. Honest.

Author's note: this chapters coming up a bit quicker then the next ones so don't expect them to get up this quick. Each chapter should be uploaded once a week, hopefully. Thank you to all the people whom reviewed and put me on their favorites list and on the author's alert and for reviewing, no wait I said that already, oh well.

Also I have to say that this story is more along the lines of the T.V show the crow, which is closely link with the movie. It's good to know that a lot of people reviewing have seen the Crow.

This chapter and the next one are a little slower than others they're laying the ground work for the romance aspect of this story. Well I've rambled on long enough enjoy the chapter. Oh no wait, there's a part of a song in this story which is from a band called 3 doors down.

**Chapter 2 **- Finding his heart

Severus Snape woke with a start looking around his darkened room as his mind tried to figure out what had awoken him. Sighing when he couldn't pin point the source of his disturbance. He slid his legs off the side of the bed he sat up. Run his hand through his limp hair, with another tired sigh. He knew the date, it was on this date one year ago he nearly died.

Sighing Severus pulled himself up and quickly changed. Ignoring the scars that littered his body from the night he was saved and from his years of being a death eater and spy. Grabbing his cloak, he stalked out of his rooms in the dungeons. He made his way to the castle's front doors, with a heavy mind. After opening the doors he slipped out into the night air. The moon shinning down on him as he moved down onto the grass. The wind tired unsuccessfully to move Severus' greasy hair as he looked around the near silent grounds. Smoke could be seen rising from Hagrid's Hut near the Forbidden Forest. It seemed he wasn't the only one awake at one in the morning. He guessed the anniversary of Harry Potter's death would be keeping more people up that night than just him. Letting his feet led him down to the lake as his mind wandered off on its own.

He was unaware of how long he stood in silence not moving looking out over the glass like surface of the body of water in front of him. A fluttering noise to his right made him look up as a large crow landed near him on a boulder. The bird looked at him with beady black eyes that held unusual intelligence. He looked at it as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. In reality he was wondering why the bird would be out at this time of night. The puzzle however simply slipped passed his mind as the bird fluffed up its feathers looking, for all the world, as if it belonged where it was perched.

"Nice night."

Severus jumped, but if anyone asked he had **not** been startled just a little surprised. A figure seemed to have materialized next to him when his attention had been on the blackbird. Inconspicuously Severus palmed his wand. The voice sounded familiar but he couldn't place where he'd heard it.

"Indeed," Severus replied smoothly. Severus gave his complete attention to the figure. Correction the man, for the voice had sounded male, was cloaked in shadows not giving a clue to his identity. If it hadn't been for the wards keeping out anyone with ill intent Severus would have been worried. Not many people were able to creep up on the ex-spy.

"How's your life been this past year Severus Snape?" the other man asked. Severus frowned no one had asked him that question in a long time, why would this man want to know?

"In polite circles people like to know the name of the person they are talking too," Severus subtly demanded.

The crow nearly forgotten by Snape took flight suddenly startling Severus much like it's owner had moments before. The bird landed gracefully on the figure's shoulder.

"Oh, but Professor Snape you already know my name," the figure chuckled. "In fact you probably have been cursing it the last seven years and you've been cursing my father's name for even longer."

The man's voice clicked in Severus's mind 'Shit the man's name is Harry Potter,' Severus cursed silently.

Stumbling back he gracelessly tripped over his cloak, falling hard on his ass. Harry Potter laughed at the sight of the feared Potion's Professor, hated and feared by all at Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry, sprawled at his feet. The other man looked up at Harry with horror and fear. Taking pity on the man Harry held out his hand. Severus looked at it dumbly as if he couldn't understand why it was there.

"Need a hand Professor?" Harry asked amused.

"How…What…How are you? You died, I saw your body! I was at your funeral!" Severus stammered fear seeping into his voice.

"Yes, well that's true, thanks for coming to the funeral by the way," Harry smiled and knelt down next to the stunned man.

"You are welcome," Severus visibly pulled himself together. "Should have expected it, you damn Potters seemed to still haunt me even after you are dead!"

Harry chuckled, "'Not even death can keep a Potter down,' it's the family motto right after 'Always run into trouble without thinking of the consequences' and 'Don't get caught.'"

Severus stared at him a minute the sides of his month turning up slightly. Then he frowned, "Name all the people that where at the Shrieking Shack at the end of your third year?" He asked in a rush.

"Testing the knowledge of a dead man, good to know you haven't changed," Harry chuckled. "Well I'll play, Remus Lupin, Sirius black, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, you, myself and a rat, that goes by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

Severus stared at Harry disbelief, "You are dead." Pronouncing each word as if talking to a five year old.

Harry looked at Severus a minute before standing, "Come on I could use a shower."

Harry held a hand out, which Severus hesitantly took. Pulling the older man to his feet with ease. Severus looked him over, the other man appeared to be alive and his hand had felt real. Harry headed off towards the castle with Severus falling into step beside him. Still sending him puzzled glances. The two quickly and silently made their way though the castle in silence.

Severus led the way to his rooms in the dungeons as Harry looked around him a slight smile on his lips. The two stopped outside a normal door, Severus knocked twice, whispering a password under his breath at the same time. A part of the wall behind them opened. Harry's eyes darted between the still closed door and the open archway, where Severus stood smirking, on the other side.

"Are you coming Mr. Potter or are you going to stay here and practice your impression of a fish out of water?" Severus smirked.

With a snap Harry shut his mouth and turned up his nose as he glided passed Severus. The amused man following him still smirking as the wall closed behind him. Severus pointed out the bathroom then collapsed in his armchair in front of the fire.

Gulped down another shot of Firewhiskey as he waited for a dead man to finish in his shower. Severus mind turned to the boy who strangely enough he still looked the same as he remembered, the same bright green eyes had stared back at him, the same untamable black hair, and the same lighting bolt scar on his forehead. He still had the same loveable smile and yet something seemed off about him and it took him a few minutes to think what it was. This Harry Potter wore no glasses. He mentally made note to ask the boy about the missing specs.

Severus sighed he'd always had a feeling deep inside him that made him save the brat's life time and time again. When the night came that he'd been found out as a spy his last thought, before he fell unconscious, had been that he'd failed the boy. When he woke in the hospital wing to find out Harry Potter had died. It had felt like a part inside of him had gone with him.

A soft voice singing caught his attention as he flicked back another shot. Leaned back in his chair, his head resting on the soft headrest, as the voice rolled over him.

_'There's another world inside of me.  
__That you may never see.  
__There's secrets in this life.  
__That I can't hide.  
__Somewhere in this darkness  
__There's a light that I can't find  
__Maybe it's to far away…  
__Or maybe I'm just blind…' _

Severus sighed he now knew the truth. The day Harry Potter died he'd felt something rip away inside of him. The feelings of hatred he'd shown towards the boy had just been a cover up for his true feelings. He'd been hiding behind his hatred of the father and he hadn't seen the love of the son until it was too late.

Xxx

Harry turned the shower off with a sigh, he felt clean as if he'd never died. He didn't know how he'd managed to came back he only knew he had a reason to be back; to kill Voldemort.

He could feel the presence of the crow at the back of his mind. The crow was his link to the lands of the living and dead and Harry knew deep down that the only thing that kept him tethered on this plane of the living was the blackbird. Grabbing a black towel (well what other colour would you expect to find in Snape's bathroom?) he wound it around himself as he stepped out of the bathroom and into the living room.

"Professor," Snape looked up an unreadable expression in his eyes. "Do you have any clothes I can wear? The clothes I was buried in are giving me the creeps."

Severus growled something, Harry was guessing, along the lines of 'Yes, you brat'. The other man dragged himself out of his chair with a slight stumble. Harry frowned at the man and the half empty bottle of firewhiskey on the side table.

"Isn't it a school night?" Harry asked innocently, the other man growled in reply.

Harry watched the show with a smile as the other man stumble across the room and into his bedroom. Harry followed shortly after him as he approached the door, when all of a sudden a pair of pants flew out at him landing on his head followed by a night shirt. Harry whipped them off himself still smiling.

"Thanks," Harry called out pulling on the shirt and pants.

They were a size too large for his slight frame but after years of wearing Dudley cast offs he had gotten used to wearing to large clothing. Finishing he unwound the towel from around his waist and placed it back in the bathroom. He caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and nodded, he now felt and looked more alive. When he came back out Severus door was closed and a blanket hung over the back of the lounge.

"Well I guess it's the lounge for me tonight," Harry mumbled to himself. Harry however was beyond caring as he crashed on the lounge and was fast asleep before he could pull the blanket over himself.

Xxx

Severus couldn't sleep he had the half naked form of Harry Potter imprinted on the back of his eyelids. He soon gave up sleep and stood. Silently walking over to the door he placed his ear to the rough wood. He couldn't hear anything on the other side. He opened the door slowly and slipped out into the other room. Even breathing from the lounge told him that the boy was asleep. He lit his wand with a whispered word and by the soft glow navigated his way over to the lounge where Harry was sprawled out. Harry looked young and peaceful as he snored softly.

He grabbed the blanket off the back of the lounge and draped it over the boy. The Gryffindor mumbled in his sleep a lazy smile on his face. Severus pushed a stray lock of hair out of the sleeping boy's eyes. Harry mumbled in his sleep turning into the soft touch. Against his own will Severus ran a finger down Harry's cheek feeling the warmth under his finger tips as he reminded himself that Harry was alive and wasn't going anywhere.

The boy's eyes suddenly fluttered open. The two looked at the other silently neither one moving an inch.

"Severus?" Harry whispered breaking the trance the two had fallen into. "What is it?"

"Nothing go back to sleep," Severus answered. Hand still on the boy's cheek.

"I'm glad you made it back to Hogwarts," Harry mumbled eyes half-closed. "I didn't want to see you die."

Harry's eyes slid closed as sleep overcame him. Severus sighed it seemed that Harry wasn't completely unchanged by being dead. Before his death the boy would've run screaming from the room if Severus had laid one finger on him. Maybe Severus did have a chance to right the wrongs he had done to the other man. Shaking his head and those thoughts away Severus slipped back into his room a small smile on his lips.

Xxx

Well what do you think? Good? Bad? Okay? Pile of trash? Could be used to line the bird cage?


	3. A lover lost A friend found

Author's note: the dates on Harry's tombstone were wrong by a year that has been changed. I've also been asked about Harry's markings. In the T.V show Eric Draven only has the marking when he is very angry, you know as in a killing mood, so Harry will only have the markings then, that will be explained to those that don't have a clue what I'm talking about. Thanks to lord-shinta for pointing out the markings thing. If you see any mistakes or something that's in the Crow that I've forgotten like the markings point it out so I can fix it or add it in.

Thanks for the reviews I'm amazed I've received so many. This chapter like the last is a little slow but the next has some action and a few surprises. Let's just say that there is a reason Harry hasn't gone after Voldemort yet. On with the story, enjoy.

Chapter 3 A lover lost. A friend found

Harry spent the day in Severus's rooms as the man tortured, correction taught, his students. He'd made up his mind a while ago that he would turn up at the Great Hall for diner. He was dieing to find out how every one was going to react to Harry Potter being alive. Ron and Hermione and the rest of his year were in their last year of school so their reactions should be priceless.

Harry glazed around the room in boredom from his place at Severus front door. A bookcase was to his right held neatly laid tomes of what Harry suspected were potions and dark arts books. To his left stood a large fireplace with one large black armchair and the lounge, Harry fondly called his bed, positioned around the merry blaze. Looking at the untidy mess of blankets he'd left on the lounge he had the sudden compulsion to clean it up. He noticed his lounge was the only thing in the whole room that was slightly untidy. Holding off the temptation to fold up the blanket he suddenly smirked. Severus no doubt was an obsessive-compulsive cleaner. If the state of the room was anything to go by.

Harry sprawled out on the armchair as he looked around the well furnished room. Three doors were spread out around the room. Harry knew for a fact that one led to Severus's bedroom and the other led to his bathroom. The third door Harry assumed led to the man's lab. An archway at the back of the room, opposite the front door, led to a kitchen/dining room which held a small dinning table done in dark wood tones. The kitchen looked very much like a muggle kitchen complete with muggle fridge and other appliances, which Harry guessed ran off magic.

All in all the room felt cozy. A little too neat for Harry's tastes, but it had a worn in feel about it. Harry smirked as he looked around; nothing stood out of place. He couldn't help what he did next. Walking into the kitchen he rearranged everything in the room, Tea bags went in the opposite cupboard, the kettle went on the other side of the sink and the milk was placed in the back of the fridge. Harry took his time rearranging everything in sight, things he believed Severus used most often were placed in the most unlikely places. Looking over his handy work with satisfaction to anyone the room still looked neat but to Severus's eye everything would be out of place. Harry knew that people with obsessive compulsive behavior would notice right away that everything was out of place. They then will spend however long it took to get every thing back into place again. The thought that Severus would probably kill him when he found out just made his smile widen. His mischief done for the moment he skipped back into the main room, moving objects as he went.

Wandering over to the bookshelf, running his fingers over the book spines. Not really looking at the book titles under his fingertips. He could feel the presence of the man that lived in the room on the books covers. There were seven shelves in the bookcase along the wall all filled with book. However on the middle shelf there was a break in book that held a few items. They were the first personal effects besides the books, which in Harry's opinion didn't count, around the room. He also noticed there were no pictures around the room and only a few items on the shelf. He picked up a small flat stone that was resting on the shelf.

_"Skip the stone Severus," a young man of eighteen called to a young version of Severus. "See you tilt it like this then you let it go with a spin and it skips along the water." _

_The young man let the rock go which skipped four times along the lake's surface before sinking. The young man turned to Severus with large brown eyes. He smiled as Severus picked up his own stone. Severus pulled back and let it go, instead of skipping the rock sunk with a splash. _

_The other man laughed, "Good try Sev," the man called. _

_"Stop laughing Luke I was never good at games," Severus sulked. _

_Luke laughed again and covered the distance to his lover, he took the other man in his arms and turned him so Severus was facing away from him and towards the lake. _

_"Here," Luke placed a small flat stone in Severus hand and tilted it just right. "Now pulled back and spin it from your hand." Luke guided it from his lover's hand, the stone skipped across the lake five times before sinking. "See I knew you could do it," Luke said pulling Severus into a kiss._

Harry placed the stone back on the shelf, as the images faded from his mind. He didn't understand why he was receiving images of Severus's life. However he was delighted to know more about the other man he was sharing a room with. He moved onto the next item, a golden ring. He picked it up in one hand.

_"Severus what's this?" Luke called out, looking down at a ring secured in its case._

_"What's what, love?" Severus voice called back form another room. Luke looked up as Severus head appeared at the kitchen door. _

_"This," Luke held up the ring. _

_Severus smiled, "I thought that would have been clear, it's a wedding ring." Severus laughed crossing the room and taking the ring from Luke's fingers then dropped to one knee. "Your wedding ring." _

_Luke's jaw dropped, "Sev are you sure?" _

_"Yes, love. I want to be with you forever," Severus whispered. _

_"I wish to be with you forever too," Luke whispered back. Severus took the other man's hand and slipped the ring on. Luke pulled Severus into his arms. _

_"Forever," Luke breathed. _

_"Forever," Severus agreed, sealing their promise with a kiss. _

Harry smiled softly; he could feel the love in the scene before him. He then remembered Severus didn't wear a wedding ring. In fact he'd never seen Luke at the school or in Severus rooms. Wouldn't a lover stay in the same rooms as Severus? What happened to the other man? Harry went to put the ring down, but before he could another image played out in his mind.

_Lighting broke the dark sky as the rain poured down around Severus. He wore the black cloak of a death eater in one hand he held his white mask. The sky lit up and the rumble of thunder rolled in the sky. Severus looked up at the house in front of him, the dark mark filled his sight, the green glow mocking him. Severus staggered towards the house he had seen many times before, the green light seemed to draw him in like a moth to the flame. Silent tears slid down his face as the rain pounded down around him. A sob escaped his throat as his eyes took in the broken door of the house. _

_Severus stumbled through the door as the wind howled at his back, he left the door open. Everything around him was broken, his finger tips traveled over a vase he had brought for his love the year before, the sharp glass cut into his palm but he paid no mind to the pain, for the pain in his heart was too great. _

_He raced up the stairs and into the bedroom. He froze in the room's doorway with a sob. The sheets from the bed where torn and broken furniture littered the room. Severus dropped to his knees when he spotted the body covered in blood on the bed. He sobbed and crawled across the floor ignoring the glass and wood that cut and dung into his hands and knees. _

_Luke Stevens lay still and silent on the bed as the storm raged outside and his lover sobbed into his hands. Severus placed two fingers to his lover's throat hoping that the sightless eyes were only a trick of the light. _

_Nothing. _

_Severus sat back on his heels, tears running down his cheeks, he leaned over and closed his lover's eyelids, covering the sightless brown eyes for the last time. _

_His eye caught the sight of the gold band on the man's finger he slipped his hand into Luke's one last time. He had to do something, Luke didn't deserve to die because his parents were muggle and he was born a wizard. Severus slid the engagement ring off Luke's finger and held it in his fist. _

_He stood with new determination in his hard black eyes. It was time he had a chat with Dumbledore. He pulled himself to his feet took one more look at his broken and blooded body of his lover and stumbled from the room. The ring in his hand cutting into the skin of his palm. He was done with being a servant. _

Harry opened his eyes, whipping away his tears. Poor Severus he's been through so much in his lifetime, Harry vowed he would kill the bastard that hurt the other man so deeply. Replacing the ring he glanced up at the cloak. Surprisingly enough the man had a muggle clock. Then again now that Harry thought about it Severus had many muggle appliances in his kitchen and in other rooms. Must have been Luke's influence, Harry thought sadly

Harry then smirked in what could be called a very evil way as he looked at the time. It was time to meet the rest of the school. Harry could see it now fainting Harry Potter worshipers, Colin and Dennis where doomed to that fate. While others would look upon their once dead hero and fall off their chairs, and the ultimate reaction of some one drinking at the time they see Harry and spiting it out all over the person in front of them. Harry could see it now he was going to shock a nation when they found out he was back from the dead. Harry only wished he could see Voldemort's ugly mug when he found out.

Xxx

Severus seated at his usual place at the head table, over looking the sea of children. The Gryffindor were as loud as usual. Severus looked at them with disgust, then interest when he spotted the group of seventh year at the end of the table, closest to the head table. They were more subdued then the rest of their table, he wondered how they will react to Harry's return. The Hufflepuffs were quiet almost whispering and would look a little startled when the Gryffindors laughed loudly. The Ravenclaws held a number of books along their table and seemed to be oblivious to the happenings around them. The Slytherins as usual were sneering and smirking at the other tables, but Severus knew they were making notes of what was going on at the other tables and catching up on the gossip. Everything was normal, well almost.

BANG

Every eye looked up as the Great doors flew open to admit a large black crow. The bird flew through the doors all eyes trained on it. Severus held out an arm for the bird land, it then hopped onto his shoulder. Crowing loudly to the near silent hall. Severus stroked the birds black feathers waiting for the bird's owner to appear. Whispers flew as the bird continued to crow loudly. A figure appeared in the doorway dressed in black robes the strangers chin length untamable black hair tucked back behind his ears. Brilliant green eyes looked out over the hall.

Every one went silent, even the headmaster made no noise. The boy of no more then seventeen years took an echoing step into the silent hall. All eyes watching as the stranger made his way to the head table.

The Ravenclaws were the first to figure out who the man was as he passed their table. Whispering traveled down the table and soon the whole school was looking at Harry with disbelief in their too large eyes.

Harry gracefully walked between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, heading for the head table. Severus could see the smirk on the boys face as those around him shrunk away and some of the Hufflepuffs fainted onto the table and into the food they had been eating moments before.

Severus eyes flickered to the Gryffindor table. All the seven years sat mouths gaping and eyes wide. Ron Weasley however looked murderous while Hermione Granger leaped to her feet and dashed around the table then straight towards Harry at top speed.

Harry opened his arms as Hermione crashed into him almost sending both of them to ground.

"Hermione can't breathe," Severus could hear Harry choke, Severus smirked.

Whispers sounded in the room as Harry placed a lock of Hermione's hair behind her ear as the girl sobbed into his chest. Ron stormed his way towards the two, rage on his face. Harry saw this and disentangled himself from Hermione. Ron stopped two feet away and stared at his once dead best friend murderously. Then he threw a punch, which Harry made no move to counter or avoid.

Harry's head whipped to the side with the impact. He wiped the blood of his lip as he turned back to Ron, blanked faced. "Finished letting out your frustration, Ron?" Harry asked softly.

Ron seemed to deflate with those words, "Is it really you, mate?"

"Yes Ron, it's me," Harry said softly. Ron grabbed him in a manly hug. Hermione joining them wrapping her arms around her two best friends.

"Can't breathe," Harry choked again, but unwilling to let his friends go. "Still do need to breathe!"

"Harry?" the headmaster asked standing wand in his hand and hope in his eyes. Harry looked up.

"'Death is but the next great adventure,'" Harry quoted looking into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore.

Albus smiled, "Every one welcome back Harry Potter." Albus announced to the silent hall.

Harry stood in the middle of the hall warped in the arms of his two best friends, he felt like he was home again. The hall was silent for a few more minutes before clapping and cheering starting from the Gryffindor table set off the rest of the hall. Yes Harry Potter was home.

Xxx

Severus relaxed in front of the roaring fire reading a new book on potions when some one knocked at his door. Placing the book faced down as he rose to his feet. He stormed to the door and pulled it open to see Harry Potter on the other side.

"What do you want Potter?" Severus growled. Harry looked at him hard for a second then reached out one hand and laid it on his cheek. Harry's eyes grew distant, Severus went to pull back but found himself unable too.

They stood there for a minute before Harry's eyes refocused and he swayed on his feet. Without thinking Severus pulled Harry to himself and shut the door behind them.

"You loved him didn't you?" Harry asked softly.

Severus pulled back, "What?"

"Luke Stevens," Severus paled at the name. "You loved him right?"

"How do you know about him?" Sev­erus whispered.

Harry stepped away from Severus and crossed the room. Picked up the ring from the shelf he handed it to Severus.

"Some times when I touch a person or an object I get flashes of memory," Harry explained as he sunk down onto his lounge. "You started spying because of him," Harry looked up his green eyes boring into Severus daring him to say he was wrong. Severus looked anywhere but at Harry.

"Did you love him?"

"Yes," Severus breathed.

"I will kill him this time Severus," Harry vowed. "He's caused too much death and suffering to too many people."

Severus looked into Harry's determined eyes and a part of him went out to him, "I will help."

Harry smiled, looking into Severus deep eyes, "I know."

The two sat in silence, after a minute Severus picked up his book and started reading again. Later when he looked back up Harry had curled himself up on the lounge, fast asleep. Severus smiled softly and placed the book face down on the table. He picked up the blanket off the floor and draped it over the other man. He knelt down and kissed Harry on the forehead.

"When you saved me that night, one year ago, you made me face up to the fact that you weren't your father. You did something that no one but Luke has ever done. You cared enough to save me from death when I did nothing to make you like me. That tore a hole deep inside my heart and I started to look at you in a different light. I regret the way I treated you and it took your death to see what I was doing. I am sorry. When I saw you the other night I felt a piece of myself come back to me that you took with you to the grave. I finally realized some thing Harry Potter. I think I'm in love with you and I don't know what I'm going to do," Severus whispered to the sleeping young man, before going back to his book.


	4. Interlude 1 Severus discovery

A/N: Hope you had a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year, or is it the other way round, oh well. Sorry I haven't up dated this is a while. I thought you guys might like this little side story though. The next chapter doesn't want to work! No matter what I do to it it's not coming out right. The next _real_ chapter should be out tomorrow or the next day, if I can get the damn thing to work! It's a lot longer with a lot of action. I've also been told by many people that I need a beta reader so if any one is interested please send an e-mail to . Replies to reviews are at the end of the chap so enjoy.

Interlude – Severus' discovery

Severus woke at six in the morning. The same time he gets up every morning for the last twenty so years. He stumbled out of bed like he did every morning. More asleep then awake. Stumbling his way to his kitchen, feet knowing where furniture lay. When he reached the kitchen he headed straight for his kettle with half lidded eyes. When his hand only grabbed air he opened his eyes a little wider. The kettle sat innocently on the other side of his sink.

Severus shook his head and placed it back where it was meant to be.

He opened the cupboard above him, hand reaching into the jar on the shelf, looking for coffee. He picked out a bag as his other hand grabbed a mug. He placed the bag in the mug without noticing the colour of the so called coffee bag. He tripped over to his fridge as the water boiled.

Snagged up the milk from the shelf where the milk always lived, without realising he held a carton of apple juice. The kettle clicked up indicating that it was done. He poured in the water. Opened another cupboard and pulled out the jar of sugar, which for another reason beyond his sleep addled mind, was labelled salt. He dumped one sugar into the mug and poured in what he thought was milk, without looking at what he was doing.

He put the milk away, then sugar. He pulled out a spoon eyes closed as he stirred his coffee, five times clock wise then five times anti-clock wise. He spooned out the coffee bag and dumped it in the bin.

Blew across the hot liquid.

Raised the cup to his lips and took a sip.

A weird orange coloured substance that was meant to be Severus' coffee spewed from his mouth, along with a sound of disgust. Severus' face twisted up in disgust.

He looked down into the orange tinted liquid. He tipped a bit in the sink and watched the substance. 'That isn't my coffee, who stole my coffee?' Severus mind came up with as he looked into his mug puzzled. If some one had been looking at the scene they would have seen the exact moment realisation dawned on him.

He quickly picked up another cup and filled it with water and quickly washed out his mouth in an attempt erase the horrible taste.

He then opened his cupboard and took out the jar of coffee. He took a sniff. It smelt like ginger tea. Going to the fridge he wrenched open the door with enough force to pull it off. He grabbed the milk and looked at the label which clearly stated apple juice. With a growl he banged open the other cupboard and pulled out the sugar jar. Growling again, a scowl firmly on his face, the label that always read sugar proclaimed it as salt.

He looked at the items on his bench with an angry and puzzled frown. Who would change everything around? He wouldn't put it pass Albus to do such a thing. But knowing the older man he would have managed to make Severus put a lemon drop in his coffee. So Albus was out. Who else would?

Then it dawned on the dark haired man.

He stormed into the lounge room.

Eyes blazing.

He kicked the lounge then rounded it.

Ready to rain down the fury of the gods.

He opened his month, pulled the blanket off the lounge and stopped.

He wasn't there!

If any student had been walking in the dungeons near the potion's class room they would have heard an enraged voice yell out. "Harry Potter!" Shortly followed by, "I'm going to torture you slowly and painfully you insufferable brat!"

Xxx

Replies to reviews

Thank you to the following who reviewed to the first two chapters:

Night, Jewelclaw Lady of wind, Lady Shang, Spazlady, Blue Rosed Dragon, Valore, Suzuki-chan, Claudia, Sylvanus Snape, Eveningshade, Lady-Slytherin-Snape, Super-girl-straight-from, Hauntedemotions (love the pen name), ola, synicalpophyra, Cydah, rosie girl, Chainmailgrl, Silver-Entrantress-Elf, Treetop, Lord-shinta (You helped me out a lot with your review about Harry's markings thanks), Kerira and NightShadow135. Sorry if I'm missed any one out.

Thank you to thew following who reviewed to chapter three:

Raven's light, yalanthe, drarrysev (thank you), CC (You brought up many issues of Mythology. The Native American and the Celtic beliefs will play a part in this story. I haven't planned to involve any of the Crow characters in this fic, but who knows they might just make an appearance wink, wink, nudge, nudge), Suzuki-chan, Blue Rosed Dragon (Lord Moldy Shorts? That's a new one ;), Spazlady (The speech of Sev's was mostly to tell the audience what his opinion of Harry is without going on for pages and pages about it. I also thought it would have more of an impact if Sev did something a little out of character, even if Harry was asleep. The story will have adventure and action and all that, I just needed to set the scene, you could say for the romance aspect of the fic. Don't worry next chap has action!), and to Jewelclaw Lady of the wind (You will just have to wait and see).

Sorry if I missed any one and again if any one wishes to be a beta reader just e-mail me.


	5. Crow Ghost

A/N: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, good to see you liked the last chapter. This chapter was a bugger and a half to write and I'm still not happy with it. If any one can see what I'm missing, please clue me in. Also a very big thank you to, Websurffer for beta reading this chapter.

Disclaimer: Don't own it never will, unless…I go back in time and steal it…nah maybe later. For now Harry Potter and co. belong to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 4 - Crow Ghost.

The side door of the Great Hall slammed open to admit the black cloud that was known as Severus Snape; the man glared back at any who dared to look at him. Harry looked up calmly from his place at the Gryffindor table. Severus's glare went up a level as their eyes met. Harry smiled back sweetly. Severus scowled at him before sweeping off down the hall towards the head table. As the man passed Harry, he hit the boy softly on the back of his head. Harry grinned back at him to the amazement of those watching and to the amusement of the headmaster.

Harry had spent most of the morning telling Albus and his friends about what had happened to him. For some reason coming back from the dead was an odd thing, imagine that. He had been asked question after question about his life before his death (to confirm he was Harry Potter), what happened after, and about the crow.

The headmaster and his friends were looking into how he could have come back. Hermione had a theory of a muggle myth about the crow taking your soul to the afterlife. Harry wasn't sure about that one but Hermione was looking into it, so they were bound to have some answers soon.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted as hundreds of owls descended on the hall. Harry easily picked out Hedwig, her white feathers stuck out in the mass of browns and blacks.

The headmaster had taken in Hedwig after Harry's death, a year ago, and had given her back to him that morning. Hedwig winged her way down to Harry, paper clutched in her claws.

The crow landed seconds after Hedwig on Harry's other shoulder. A few people snickered at the sight of the two birds on either shoulder of the boy-who-lived-then-died-then-lived-again.

Harry took the paper from his owl as whispers started in the hall. He flipped the paper open and looked at the headline.

**Boy-who-lived, back from the dead! **

Harry smirked in a very evil manner. He folded the paper back up and gave it to Shadow, Harry's newly named crow. The bird took the paper up to Severus who in turn folded out the paper scanning the headline with a mirroring smirk.

Harry just wished he could see the expression on Voldemort's face when he found out about the article. _'Oh boy is he going to be pissed!'_ Harry thought, giving Hedwig some bacon.

Suddenly Shadow took flight out the great hall's doors. Harry followed him with his eyes. Something was up, Harry pushed his chair out.

"Where're you going Harry?" Hermione asked grabbing his hand.

Harry looked down at his friends face and smiled, he'd missed Hermione. He turned to Ron, who was having an eating contest with himself and hadn't seen Shadow leave.

Harry bent down, "I'll be back soon," Harry whispered in her ear, before standing straight. Hedwig took flight as he sensed her master's intentions.

He nodded to Severus before slipping out the great hall. He focused on Shadow as he crossed the anti-apparation wards. A picture formed in his minds eye of what Shadow was seeing.

_Shadow looked down at the gathered humans dressed in black cloaks he knew from Harry's memories that these men were death eaters._

_As he watched one pulled out a wand and shouted to the others, whom took up his call. The four death eaters ran into the small town, causing chaos. Shadow crowed loudly waiting for Harry to come._

Harry closed his eyes and focused on the vision from Shadow, when he opened them again he stood next to his crow on the out skirts of the town. Harry felt a giddy feeling inside at his success to apparate. He quickly crouched down waiting. He didn't know what to do. He had no wand, but something inside of his was telling him he didn't need one. In fact now that Harry was focused on his magic, he could feel the wild magic within him. It felt nothing like when he was alive, the magic in him was wild and untamable. Harry had no fear he knew somehow that it would obey him when he called for it.

Harry watched as a small fire started at one of the houses, and as he watched the flame grew larger as the fire feed off the building

'_Move,'_ something seemed to whisper in his mind and he was moving without realizing it.

He ran in a crouch to the house on fire. _'In the house,'_ the voice said.

Harry smashed the window with his fist, slicing open his hand. He jumped through the window with agility he didn't know he possessed. He shook his hand flicking off blood, but when he looked down there was no cut to be seen.

He didn't have a second to think about that now. He could hear soft crying coming from somewhere in the house.

Smoke clouded his vision as he dropped to the ground to escape it.

"Hello," Harry shouted trying to pin point where the crying was coming from, "If you can hear me, call back!"

The crying only grew louder. He looked to his left then his right down the hallway.

'_Left,'_ the voice said softly in his ear.

Harry headed in that direction keeping as low as possible. The crying grew louder as he went, which Harry guessed was the right direction.

"It's okay, I'm coming," Harry shouted. Fire licked up the walls to his left as Harry hugged the right hand side. _'This must be what a duck feels like when it's being cooked in an oven,'_ Harry thought dryly.

A door came up on his right. He reached up without think and grabbed the door handle.

"Shit," Harry swore as the medal burned his hand.

He looked down at his hand in amazement as the burn healed itself before his eyes, within seconds the burn had faded.

A scream from behind the door snapped him out of his trance.

"Don't worry I'm coming," Harry shouted.

The flames to his left grew higher he flinched back from the flames as the heat scorched his body. He eyed the door before smashing his shoulder against it. The door creaked under his treatment. He smashed against it again using all his weight the door gave way with a crash sending him spilling into the room.

He looked up from his place on the floor to see a young girl of no more than five in the right hand corner as flames licked away on the left hand side of the room. Her big brown eyes filled with fear as tears ran down her face. Her blond hair tumbled down her shoulders almost back from ash and soot which was also smeared across her young round face.

Harry scrambled into a crouch and rushed over to the girl's side.

He took the girl in his arms being careful of the burns on the girl's side. He looked around the room the left hand side was consumed by flames. The bed near the door went up in flames as he watched with a sinking feeling.

Harry guessed they were in the girl's room by the numerous toys around the room. His glaze swept the room for a way out. His stomach seemed to find a place on the floor as he realized they were trapped. Flames from the bed blocked the door and were closing in fast on the two in the corner.

The girl coughed from the smoke. Harry pulled her closer pulling his cloak around her. Somewhere in the back of his mind he noticed that the smoke wasn't affecting him as much as it should. He looked around the room again. His eyes settled on his salvation, a window.

Harry crawled across the room, the girl clinging tightly to his form. He looked out the window. They were facing the street, three death eaters held back a couple on the street as they watched the house burn. _'Must be the girl's parents,'_ Harry thought.

Acting on instinct he placed his hand on the window as the girl sobbed into his shirt.

Harry hissed as his hand touched the hot glass; the smell of burning skin assaulted his nose. He could feel the movement in the house as it strained under the fire. If he didn't hurry the house was going to collapse with them inside. He focused on his hand and reached for his magic.

He pushed the feel of flames at his back out of his mind. The house creaked and moaned as the flames slowly tore it apart around him and the girl. He focused on his magic flowing up his arm. He slowly pulled his magic out and through his hand. Cracks appeared on the window spreading out like a spider web across its surface. He pushed and it exploded outwards.

In one swift movement Harry was through the window, girl curled around his waist. He crouched outside the window and pulled his magic again as the death eaters stumbled back from the explosion. He lifted his hand and whispered a curse sending it towards the three death eater and the girl's parents. The focused the beams of light, hitting the death eaters, while missing the civilians. The death eaters stumbled back from the attack, but by the time they pulled their wands Harry was gone.

They flicked their wands around as the parents cowered behind a car. Harry ran swiftly, holding the girl close, away from the burning building. He hid behind a parked car waiting.

The death eaters looked around trying to find the cause of the curse.

"What are you doing?" Malfoy yelled as he came over to the other three.

"Some one attacked us," Crabbe answered eyes darting around.

"Yeah, we were having fun with the family and he just, you know, attacked us," Goyle added, as if attacking him was a great sin, "I didn't get a good look at him but there was something wrong with his face. It was white with some kind of marking!"

Malfoy rolled his eyes, "You idiots. The dark lord said for us to find the coin and leave. Not for you small brained maggots to have fun with mudbloods and filth!" Malfoy drawled, eyes flashing. "The dark lord will hear about this. Now find that coin!"

"I don't think so," Harry called. He placed the girl behind a car where she would be safe and stepped out onto the road.

"Yeah and who are you. Some kind of freak?" Malfoy spat.

Harry looked confused, _'what are they talking about?' _He didn't have time to think on the question as a spell flew towards him. Harry ducked.

"I'm your judge, jury and executor," Harry said pulling his magic. A red light shot towards Crabbe. Malfoy sent a blue beam back, Harry easily side stepped it.

"Oh, you think so freak?" Malfoy laughed, "When the Dark Lord hears about you, you will be a dead judge!"

Harry pulled more magic and spat a disarming spell at Malfoy. The man stepped out of the way. Harry ducked behind one of the cars as a green light sped by.

His hand instinctively grabbed a rock off the ground. He stood slightly as he threw the rock several cars down. As the idiots focused their spells on where Harry had thrown the rock. He moved around behind them. Focusing his magic he sent out a thread of magic. A golden thread appeared and slithered out much like a snake. It circled its prey silently as the men's attention was focused elsewhere.

Harry watched in amusement as Malfoy approached the car.

"He's not there!" the man yelled spinning around eyes scanning the area.

Harry pulled on the snake like line, which tightened catching the three men in the middle. The three crashed together painfully in a pile on the ground. Harry flinched at the sound. He tightened his hold on the live rope. He stepped out from behind the car.

"What are you going to do freak?" Malfoy spat, his white hair a mess.

Harry squatted down next to the Slytherin, head cocked to the side. "Your master will not be pleased. When you arrive back without what you were sent for," Harry said quietly.

The three paled and tugged harder on the rope binding them. Harry laughed mirthlessly at their attempted.

"CAW!"

Harry's head shot up in time to see the forgotten death eater shout a spell. Shadow descended on the man as the blue beam raced towards Harry. Harry rolled out of the way, but it was to late, fire lanced up his side as the spell hit him. He ignored the pain and rolled to his feet a golden whip in his hand.

The death eater faced Harry three ugly claw marks across his creak and down his neck.

"Do you like my birdie?" Harry asked circling the man. The death eater watched him fear in his eyes. His hand shaking as he held out his wand.

Harry flicked his wrist, the whip sailed out snake like end hissing as it flicked at the man, making him stumble back.

"Kill him you idiot!" Malfoy yelled from behind him.

Harry smiled evilly, "'Kill him you idiot', make me look like an idiot because I'm tied up on the ground." Harry mocked. The snake flicked out again slicing open into the man's arm. Who was too slow to move.

Harry lunched the snake, cutting the man's other arm. The man cried out but kept a hold on his wand. The man ducked as the snake sailed over his head.

"Crucio!" the man yelled.

Harry jumped out of the way, rolling back to his feet as his side burned.

Harry pulled back the snake and cracked it forward. The man fell back with a scream as the snake bit into his arm.

His wand falling from his fingers as the poison spread through his body. The man collapsed to the ground unmoving.

Harry turned to Malfoy and co. evil grin still in place. Malfoy's eyes widened.

"I know who you are," Malfoy said in disbelief.

Harry's grin widened further, "I'm a dead man. Make sure to tell you _master _I'm coming for him," Spitting the word master, like a four letter word.

He pulled back the snake and lunched it towards the three bound men. The snake connected and with a loud crack the men disappeared.

Harry sighed, leaning back against the car behind him. The golden snake curled around his wrist. He held a hand to his burning side the hand came away slicked with blood. The wound looked to be slowly healing by itself. Much like the cut from the glass but at a slower pace. The cut from the glass had almost disappeared instantly, however the wound from the spell was taking longer.

"Lizzy!" A female voice rang out across the street, making Harry wince.

Harry looked over to where he had hidden the girl.

"You must be Lizzy," Harry whispered. He peered around the car he was leaning on to see the girl huddling behind it. He picked up the girl carefully whispering reassurances in her ear. The young couple stood a few feet away from where Harry was.

"She's here," Harry called. The young couple looked in his direction before Harry could blink the woman was in his arms hugging him and her daughter.

Harry disentangled himself from the small girl and her mother, as the young woman sobbed thank-you over and over again.

Harry stood as the sound of distant wails of sirens could be heard. Harry turned to the young man as he was pulled into another hug.

"Thank you for saving my daughter," the man whispered letting Harry go. "She means everything to me and my wife."

Harry looked into the tearstained face of the young couple and the smiling face of the young girl and could feel his heart growing lighter and his face breaking out in a true smile.

"You're welcome," Harry said feeling the love of the family.

The man looked him up and down taking in the black Hogwarts uniform and the burned patches on the dark material and his torn side.

"You're a wizard too?" the man asked, he and his family where clearly muggle by their appearance.

"Yes, but not like the men that attacked you, I'm Harry," Harry held out his hand to the other man whom took it in his larger one.

"Simon and this is my wife Sophie and little Lizzy," the man introduced. "My mother was a witch too, she was a great seer. I don't carry any of her magical blood unlike my brother."

"So you're a squib?"

"Yes, before my mother died she told me that a great evil would come to the world and that my family would be saved by a crow," the man looked up and Harry followed his glaze to where Shadow was perched on a street light. "She said that when the day came I was to give that crow a token."

The man felt around his neck and pulled at a leather cord around his neck, he slipped the cord off and held it out. Harry looked at it puzzled before reaching out. The instant Harry's hand touched the leather, a coin with a hole in the middle appeared. He looked at the coin, to Harry it looked like those Chinese good luck coins, but as he watched the writing changed and the design glowed then settled back into what it looked like before it changed.

"What is it?"

"I do not know, she said that when the time came, it would reveal its secrets," Simon told him, the sirens where closer now and the flashing lights could been seen as more people piled out of their houses to watch Simon's house going down in flames and to crowd around the body of the death eater on the street.

"Thank you," Harry bowed slightly slipping the cord over his head. "I must go now, look after yourselves."

'_Give him a gift,'_ the voice in mind whispered. Harry grasped Simon's hand and closed his eyes. As if working on auto pilot, Harry found his magic and pulled a small strand out and passed it into Simon. Harry opened his eyes.

"That will keep you safe," Harry whispered, he then knelt down to Sophie and little Lizzy and did the same.

"Thank you again, Harry," Simon quietly, hugging his wife and child close.

Harry smiled sadly at the picture they made. It made him think about his parents and made him wonder if his parents were still alive. Would they have been like this one?

Harry was interrupted as a paramedic rushed over to the family to look over little Lizzy. When next Simon looked up Harry had disappeared. "Good luck little crow," Simon whispered before going back to his family.

xxx

Alright what do you think?It's missing something, right?


	6. Look at all the colours

A/N: Thank you to all the wonderful reviews. Extra big thanks to my beta Websurffer. This chap is the first part of what happened to Harry before his death. The second part should be out soon. Enjoy.

Key:

_XXvision within flashback XX_

_Vision._

'_Thoughts.'_

Chapter 5 — seeing magic

Harry quickly hurried up to Hogwarts, limping badly as he held his side. His infamous luck held, for the students were in their classes.

He slowly made his way through the halls, his side screaming in protest to his movements. He clutched the coin tighter in one hand as the other held his side. He turned toward the dungeons, forgoing the hospital wing. Oh, how he despised that place! After an eternity, that would have been only minutes in reality, he reached the plain door that lead to Severus's rooms. He stood there breathing heavy staring at the door as if his glare alone would open it.

He gasped as his side gave another painful pulse. One hand found the door to steady him. The coin cutting into his palm brought him back to awareness a few minutes later.

He transferred the coin into his other hand. His side flared again. Without thinking he pressed his hand to the wound, not noticing the coin in his hand. Suddenly the pain disappeared from the wound. He gasped in surprise and looked down. The hand holding the coin grasped his side and as he watched the ugly wound running down his pale skin pulled together and sealed, leaving only a light line as proof of it existence in the first place.

He stared at the coin in shock to see it glowing slightly in the dim lighting of the hallway. His eyes traveled back to his side, then to the coin. The only blood that he could see was on his clothes. His skin and the coin were as clean as it was before the spell had hit him. What the hell is going on?

So he did the first thing any teenager did when faced with a problem they didn't understand. Shrugged his shoulders and put it to the back of his mind, hoping some one else would solve it.

He stuffed the coin into his robes and stared back at the door in front of him. How was he going to get in? An image of himself swinging an axe at the door found its way into his mind, before reality pushed it back out. Severus wouldn't be too happy if he destroyed his door.

Remembering how he'd used his magic on the death eaters and how spells had come to his mind he pressed his hand to the door. He concentrated on his magic and felt it come to his call. He felt something crawl over him then down his arm. His eyes opened wide. The door was golden, in fact the whole hallway was coloured.

'_Magic,'_ the voice whispered helpfully.

Harry looked around his eyes comically wide. He was seeing magic. It danced along the walls, ceiling, and floor. He stood there for a long time admiring the colours. Every colour existed around him in lines, curls, rivers and pools. Even colours he had never seen graced his sight. He reached out a hand and touched the wall, the colours swum around his fingers like they were rocks in a stream.

He then noticed his own body giving off magic. Over every inch of skin shone an emerald sheen of magic, except for around his wrist were a golden light was wound around. His pocket was also glowing a golden-black colour from where the coin lay hidden.

He felt a tug and looked behind him to see an emerald-gold cord leading off down the hallway. Harry guessed the strand would lead him to where Shadow was perched on a tree near Hagrid's hut.

'_Okay focus, Severus' door,'_ Harry told himself firmly, finally remembering why he was standing in the dungeons.

The door held the normal golden colour, which Harry noticed, most magic held. It was also covered in small vines of red, green and blue. The followed the coloured strands. They lead him to the other side of the hall, which he knew held the real door into Severus' rooms.

'_Okay now where should I start, the real door or the fake one?'_ Harry thought. After a short debate with himself he settled on working with the real door. He reasoned that the fake door would have more protections then the real one for people weren't meant to know where the real door stood.

He placed his hand on the bare wall that held the vines of colour, which swirled and swum around his hand.

He focused his magic and gently pushed the magic aside, bending it but not breaking the small strands. The magic around his hand moved outward making a gap. He pushed again and the stone opened. Harry opened his eyes, grinning like a mad man.

The archway into Severus' rooms greeted him. He jumped into the room feeling like an eleven year old that had just succeeded in doing their first spell.

He had just broken into the rooms of a man he believed would have had up as much protective spells as Dumbledore or Voldemort.

He let his sight relax and the colours disappeared along with a tingling feeling in his skin, centered around his face and arms.

He collapsed on his lounge as his mind wondered off. How can he see magic? Has it got something to do with coming back from the dead? How does he know were Shadow is, just by thinking of him?

Harry felt confused, he didn't know anything of his situation he didn't know what to think. One part of him was screaming that he didn't belong here and that he should be seeing his parents and Sirius not sitting in Severus's rooms. The other felt content with everything around him.

He sighed tiredly, rubbing his hand over his face in an attempt to make his world right itself. But he was the boy-who-lives-again, who was he kidding nothing in either of his lives had ever made sense. This was just another thing to add to the list, and damn was that list long!

He laid back on the lounge, the leather molded around his form. As he puzzled over the situation his mind took him back to how this whole thing happened. Back to his death a year ago.

Xxx

_XXHarry felt like he was flying as if he had grown wings. He pulled to the left and spiraled down cutting through thick clouds as he left the low cloud covering with a cry. The patchwork of colours spread out before him. He pulled up then dived the wind whipping passed him as the ground came closer. With another cry he snapped out his wings and pulled out of his dive a few feet from the ground. _

_Trees and farms passed by as he winged his way to the south. The air grew colder as he flew but something in his mind pulled him onwards as another part fought to turn back. Farms and green paddocks gave way to small towns with chimneys and smoke. Soon more towns appeared with bigger cities as the temperature dropped further. Outside of a smaller city he turned left. His wings carrying him to a large run down house, which might have looked haunted to the eyes of children. As Harry came closer he could see the over grown garden and the vines growing up the side of the building. He landed on an open window, suddenly his wings were gone and he stood on two feet inside the house._

_The inside was very different from the outside. Large portraits were hung on freshly painted walls. In fact the inside of the house looked brand new except for the old fashioned furniture. The house would have been cozy and welcoming if it wasn't for the feeling of dread and evil seeping from the very walls. Harry shivered and let his feet lead him down the hall as the eyes of the picture seemed to watch him like a second rate horror film._

_As Harry came to the end of the hall, the door opened. Harry was half thinking something would jump out at him. He pushed down his fear and stepped closer, nothing moved. He sighed and pushed to door wide enough to slip in. He looked around the room which looked like a dining room. The door behind him closed with a bang and he whipped around hand going for a wand that wasn't there._

_When the door did nothing threatening he turned back to the room. The dining room table was bare of food or anything else but if it was full it could fit twenty people without hitting elbows. A few door led into the room but the one at the end of the hall was left ajar. He crept slowly towards it jumping at the slightest noise._

_The door at the end of the hall slowly creaked open at his approach, as if welcoming him in a weird and twisted way. When Harry reached the door he pulled it open. Noise was the first thing that he registered. _

_Silencing spells, Harry thought as he looked around at the death eaters gathered in the room. They were all shouting and jeering at something in the middle of the room. Harry came closer slipping around the men and towards when he knew Voldemort would be standing with a four foot distance between himself and the death eaters. Just as predicted Voldemort stood there in all his snake-faced glory. Harry slipped next to him so he would be able to see what was happening without touching any of the death eaters._

_Harry gasped at the sight. Severus Snape, potions Professor at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, lay curled up in a small and bleeding pile. As Harry watched one of the death eater kicked Severus, the man groaned trying to move away from the foot, but not getting anywhere._

_"Stop" Voldemort hissed. The death eaters quieted quickly and all took a step back from Severus. "This man is a traitor to our cause. He will be an example of what happens to those that go against us"_

_Harry shivered then noticed a knot of people in death eater cloaks without masks, some he noticed were students, Harry noted that the oldest one would have been nineteen and the youngest seventeen._

_He could see the glint in their eyes as they looked down at Snape. All were afraid, yet all were expecting. Harry shivered again they wanted Severus to die for defying the Cause. _

_"If you go against our objectives, you will meet the same end as Severus here; if you do well and promote our group, you will be rewarded" Voldemort said diplomatically. Making it sound like they were part of a team with the dark lord, instead of the servants he would turn them into._

_The young men and women nodded their heads slowly. One stepped forward, Harry recognized him as a Ravenclaw seventh year._

_"I will stand by your side, my lord" He said bravely. Voldemort laughed nodding his head to the younger man._

_"So will I" another student announced._

_"Don't let him rule your lives" Severus croaked. "He will only lead you to death"_

Crucio_" Voldemort said lazily. Severus screamed clawing at the wooden floor as the curse pulsed through his body. Voldemort turned back to the younger people, Severus screaming in the background"Will you join our cause" Voldemort questioned._

_The group looked at Voldemort, then at the still screaming Severus, then Voldemort again. As if watching a tennis match and not the killing of another man. Then they nodded one by one._

_"Good to hear" Voldemort said joyfully. He lifted his wand, breaking the spell on Severus. Snape lay gasping and panting on the floor his arm twisted at an odd angle_.

_Severus lay forgotten for the moment as Voldemort turned his full attention to the small group of ten about to be death eaters. The ten knelt on the ground holding out their arms obediently to be branded. Voldemort came up to the first._

_"This will be slightly painful but the rewards will be worth it" Voldemort said softly. Taking the first one's arm and pointing his wand. XX_

_Harry woke with a start the young man's screams still ringing in his ears. He looked around the others in his dorm slept on. He jumped out of bed and pulling on pants and a shirt. He wrote a short note for Ron to tell him where Voldemort was and what he was going to do. He flung open his trunk pulling out his invisibility cloak. He checked that the sock Dumbledore had given him was still hidden within one of the pockets. _

_He then grabbed his beloved Firebolt from its corner and dashed up to the owlery a note for Dumbledore in his hand. He called Hedwig down when he arrived. The white owl landed on his arm, he stroked her soft white feathers, before attaching the note to the bird's leg._

_"Take this to Dumbledore, girl" Harry said softly. Hedwig hooted once, nibbled his fingers and left with the note._

_Harry looked after the bird sadly then swung the invisibility cloak around him, mounted the broom, and followed the bird's path out of the room. Lying along the broom's handle to pass through the window. Harry flew as fast as he could. Following the link he had with Voldemort. He was going to save Severus even if it cost him his life. If he'd known what was going to transpire within the next two hours, he might have rethought his decision._


	7. On the other side

Title: Revenge from the grave.

Author: Black blade

Chapter tile: On the other side.

Disclaimer: umm looks up innocently not mine.

Summary: Slash, One year has passed since the day Harry Potter was killed by Voldemort in a desperate effort to save Snape from certain death. Harry is back from the grave to finish the job he was born to do. Kill the murderer of his parents. Will he succeed or will he fall? For there is no coming back from the dead if he fails again.

Beta: Websurffer. Thank you.

Reviewers: Thanks mates. Love the kind words.

Author's note: This is the second part of what happened to Harry when he died, just so you don't get confused. Sorry for the large delay I haven't given up this story I just haven't had the time, sorry.

xXx

_Harry followed the invisible strand of magic that linked him to Voldemort. He had a sense of de-ja-vu as the town passed by under him. By the time he landed outside the old house he was shivering with the cold and shaking with nerves. _

_He looked at the house then looked in the direction he had come from. He was at the half way point he could walk into the house and most probably to his death or he could turn and go back to Hogwarts and let Severus die. A feeling deep inside of his cried out that he needed to save Severus while another asked why he should save the life of a man who had taunted and ridiculed him for the last five years._

_In the end the part to save Severus won out, Hermione would have called it the 'saving people' part of him He hid his Firebolt in an over grown bush outside the house and slipped around the side of the house. He found the window he'd used to get in during his vision and pushed the glass up and pulled himself through. _

_He pulled out his wand and crept down the hall. The feeling of eyes on his back as the passed the pictures gave him the shivers. Out of the corners of his eyes he was sure he could see dark shapes. _

_He kept walking ignoring the feeling. He reached the end of the hall where the door that would led him to the dining room stood. He pushed open the door with issued a soft squeal in protest. The dining room looked the same as Harry rushed, as silently as he could, to the other end. _

_His luck holding again as the door in front of him had been was left ajar. He pushed it open breathing a sigh of relief as the creaking of the door went unnoticed by the men inside. Harry slipped in not bothering closing the door and running the chance of the men hearing the under oiled door's protests. The death eaters were still crowded around Voldemort and the ten kneeling death eaters. Harry assumed that Voldemort had just finished initiating the ten of them in fact that theory was confirmed shortly as Voldemort's voice cut through the air. _

_"Welcome to the death eaters," Voldemort hissed as the other death eaters cheered. _

_Harry sided up to Voldemort like he had done last time taking in the bleeding pile that was Severus. He pulled the invisibility cloak closer to his body as he stared down at the broken body of his professor in horror. The man's injuries looked even worst in real life Harry. He felt like throwing up or crying at the sight. Severus body seemed to be twisted up in a ball. Bloody hand marks scored the floor in uneven lines around the body. _

_In fact if Harry couldn't see the slight shivers that racked the body he wouldn't have believed the man was still alive by the amount of blood covering him. How could these monsters do this to another man? Flesh and blood just like them? How could they take pleasure out of this? _

_As if in slow motion Harry pulled out the sock from his pocket as he leaped towards Severus. Being careful of the man's injuries he grabbed up Severus's hand and curled it around the sock. Severus didn't move next to him at Harry's touch, in fact, Harry hoped the man was unconscious. _

_"Home," Harry whispered activating the portkey, it would take five seconds to work. _

_Five _

_Harry's cloak slipped slightly off one of his shoes unnoticed. _

_Four_

_Voldemort noticed the foot in mid air next to his prisoner. _

_Three _

_Harry grasped as a claw like hand wrapped around his ankle he struggled kicking out at the man, who let go with a grunt. _

_Two _

_A hand grasped his cloak. _

_One _

_Harry was violently ripped off Severus as the man disappeared. _

_Harry was flung across the room landing in a painful pile. _

_"Well, well, well. What de we have here?" Voldemort sneered advancing on the prone boy. _

_Harry scrambled back, his back colliding painfully with the wall, as his scar flared up with pain. Voldemort flicked his wand and whispered a locking charm. Harry gulped, so much for the under thought out plan, Harry mused to himself. _

_Harry jumped to his feet, pulling the cloak around him, he looked down to make sure his body was covered. He skipped to the side as Voldemort reached out for him. _

_"Come on, Potter, lets not play hide and seek," Voldemort taunted, red eyes flashing, like a snake seeking a mouse._

_Harry shivered as he shifted away from the man. His eyes danced around the room looking for a way out. The death eaters were closing in on all sides, and he knew it wouldn't be long before he was found. He pulled his wand, if he was going down he was going to take some of these bastards with him! _

_"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted. _

_A red beam of light streamed from his wand, Harry put as much power as possible into it spell and was rewarded as three death eaters went down. After that, it was all a blur of coloured lights as they came from every direction as Harry dropped to the floor to avoid being hit. _

_If he weren't in such a serious situation he would have laughed, for the spells were doing more damage to the other death eaters and the décor than to Harry. The few spells that did come in his direction were easy to roll away from. _

_"Stop!" Voldemort shouted. _

_Instantly the light show was over. Harry felt slightly disappointed that snake face had stopped his entertainment. He had just noticed Crabbe had his wand pointed in the direction of Malfoy and wanted to know what would happen next. _

_"There's an easier way to find the boy, Accio invisibility cloak!" Voldemort hissed. _

_Harry, who wasn't expecting Voldemort or his death eaters to have an ounce of intelligence, was caught off guard at Voldemort spell. Before he could utter a spell he crashed into Voldemort, who held the back of his cloak in a vice like grip. _

_"Nice of you to join us again, Potter." Voldemort hissed in his ears, making Harry shiver. _

_He was either catching a cold or was scared shitless, unfortunately he was forced to bet on the latter. Voldemort ripped off his cloak revealing him to the rest of the conscious death eaters. Harry glanced around and his panic filled mind, for some twisted reason, noted the large number of unconscious death eaters. Not too bad for only getting in one spell, Harry thought to himself. _

_Harry's smirk was wiped off his face when Voldemort unexpectedly let him go. Harry fell to the ground painfully as he landed awkwardly on his side. He righted himself quickly and jumped to his feet, wand still held in his hand. He was proud of the fact that his hand didn't shake as he held it out; if only he could make the rest of his body do the same. _

_"Wish I could say the same about seeing you, but I don't know how anyone could say they come to these meeting to see your ugly mug," Harry taunted. _

_"Crucio!" _

_After the first spell Harry could only recall the pain. Hours or months later the pain stopped for a minute. It took him minutes to pull himself together enough to even realize the pain had stopped. He hurt all over, his head pounded, his body was cover in a film like substance, that Harry believed might be blood, and he didn't want to tempt fate to raise his head to find out. He believed that even raising his head at this moment in time would end his life. _

_He felt the air brushing against the broken skin of his torso and made an educated guess that his shirt was missing. How the piece of cloth had been removed and how was a great mystery to the broken teen._

_He lay on his side curled in a slight ball as both his front and back felt like they were on fire. His breathing came in gasps and each intake of breath sent stabs of pain through his crest. He guessed his leg and wrist were broken and his fingertips were ripped apart from clawing at the floor. _

_Pain exploded in his side as some one rolled him over with a rough kick, Harry groaned. He felt the cuts on his back break open on the wooden floor and groaned again. It was then that he voices penetrated the hazy around him his slow moving mind. _

_"Harry…" _

_"…is he alive…" _

_"…looks dead…" _

_"He is alive and he will die…" _

_"Hand him over Tom…" _

_Harry opened one eye, for the other refused to cooperate with him at that moment in time. His vision was slightly blurred he assumed his glasses must have fallen off at one point. He didn't know why that thought amused him and he was sure that he wasn't too far from becoming insane by the pain racking his body and mind. He could see a group of people in black cloaks in front of him, death eaters, his slow mind offered. He congratulated it that it could even recall the name before pain butted into his thinking. _

_He painfully rolled his head to the other side. Just to see if the grass was greener on that side. A gasped issued from the group. Harry looked at them in detached fascination as blackness crept into the sides of his vision. He felt like he was drifting away from his body as he looked at the blurry people in front of him. His mind couldn't even recall names to him they could have been Tom, Dick or Harry for all he knew. _

_The pain in his too small body over ridded all thinking except survival. He was starting to know what a science experiment mouse felt like. _

_"Hand him over Tom," the one with the white beard at the front of the group said. _

_Harry's eye slipped off the group and stared at the floor. He could see bloody claw marks on the floor and he was wondering where they had come from. He seemed to recall another man with black hair and cloak. _

_No, no that was from before or was that another time? _

_"Why should I do that?" Another man hissed. _

_Harry was confused and his head hurt from thinking, he started to relax against the floor, the darkness called to him. _

_"What are you offering for him," the hissing man spat. _

_Harry was growing numb he couldn't feel anything and his vision was tunneling in, his breath was coming slowly. The light was getting brighter the darkness at the sides of his vision were growing darker. Making a very twisted and weird black and white picture. _

_The hissing man seemed to realize that Harry's attention was wandering for pain sliced through his body. He arched his back in pain but didn't scream his throat wouldn't allow any more noise. The curse lifted and he focused on what was happening. The light and dark receded, much like a middle-aged man's hairline. _

_There seemed to be a growling in the room and Harry looked up into the face of a man. The brown haired man stopped when he saw Harry watching him. He knelt down close to him as shouting sounded in the room. _

_"Harry, can you hear me?" the man said brokenly. _

_Harry continued to stare unable to voice his answer or to physically answer either. _

_"Don't worry Harry we'll get you out of here." The man reached out with a trembling hand and grasped Harry's bleeding one. _

_Harry frowned he felt the hand on his it felt cold to his over heated body. _

_"Isn't this sickening sweet," the hissing man mocked. _

_The brown haired man looked up and growled. _

_"Does the werewolf want to save Potter? Well To bad. Avada Kedavra!" _

_Time stopped as Harry stared up at Remus, who wore a horrified expression, as the green light surrounds him. He felt his breath hitch, his heart beat once then stopped and his vision wavered. The green light entered him like poison and his breath stopped altogether he seemed to be floating he saw himself sprawled out on the wooden floor of Voldemort's lair, Remus crouched next to him. _

_He heard the evil laughter of the man who had just killed him. He saw the stunned and painful expressions of the order. He felt the sadness and despair. He saw the silent tears. He saw the end of one thing the beginning of another. He felt the glee of the masked men. He felt his own sadness and rage at the injustice of the world. _

_He watched as Voldemort and his death eaters disapparated from the room with a pop. _

_He watched as Remus gathered his body in his arms and held him close as tears fell down his face. _

_He watched as Dumbledore gave orders to the order to go to the headquarters. _

_He watched as Remus lifted up his bloody body in his arms and disapparated out. _

_He watched as Dumbledore looked down at the blood stained floor with tears of his own spilling down his face._

_Harry slowly pulled away from the room and looked to the bright light behind him then back to the room. _

_He had failed. _

_Voldemort was still alive. _

_He had failed. _

_The snake faced mad man should be dead, not him! _

_As the light pulled him away, rage and hopelessness consumed him. Voldemort should be dead! Harry Potter should live to old age, the age where you revert back to a baby and have to wear diapers, and watch as his grandchildren destroyed his home. _

_He shouldn't have failed! _

_A great sadness descended on him all the rage disappeared as he thought about all he had left at the hand of a mad man. Would his friends live long lives now that he was gone?_

xXx

**'People once believed that when someone dies, a Crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes, just sometimes, the Crow can bring the soul back and put the wrong things right.' **

xXx

_White light flashed, when his vision cleared he stood in a lush rain forest in front of him was a wood and rope bridge across a valley. Harry gasped at the beauty before him, he felt tainted faced with the images of heaven. He fell to his knees over whelmed by deep feelings. _

_The magic in his veins thumped in time with a heart he believed would never beat again. Magic, life and death filled this place; the trees sung to him their stories of times forgotten by all. He knew instinctively that the bridge in front of him was the last leg of his travels. Over that bridge would be his final resting-place. He had wished many times to see his parents and godfather, but now facing that decision he couldn't decide. _

_He had made friends build a life for himself and mourned the passing of his loved ones that had passed before him. Voldemort still lived to threaten his friends. Could he stand back and let snake face kill his family? Could he live with his parents and godfather knowing he had doomed the magical world? _

_"You look lost, little one?" _

_Harry's head spun around to glaze upon a beautiful young woman behind him. Harry wiped harshly at the tears that had fallen down his face before rising to his feet. The young woman of late twenties stared kindly down at him. Her kind featured face made even Harry smile gently back at her. A faint silver glow surrounded her body and bathed the grass under her feet in light. _

_"I am lost…ma'am," Harry replied unsure of himself. "I don't know what I should do now." _

_The woman smiled gently at him, "I can feel the hurt, pain and sorrow in you unlike anyone that has passed through these lands, what make you different?" _

_"I…I don't know…oh sorry I didn't introduce myself," Harry said in a rush, blushing. "I'm Harry Potter." _

_The woman took Harry's offered hand in hers, "Shelly Webster." _

_"Why are you here?" Harry asked uncertainly. _

_Shelly smiled sadly, "I'm waiting for some one. We were killed on the 'day of the dead'. He went back to right the wrong against us. I'm waiting for him." _

_"He must mean a lot to you." _

_"Yes we were going to get married until…" _

_"I'm sorry," Harry said sincerely. _

_"Oh don't bother yourself with that, little one. It was meant to be." _

_The two fell into thoughtful silence each remembering a life lost to them too early. _

_"Did you say he went back?" Harry asked a few minutes later. _

_"Yes, it is said that a crow is the line between the underworlds and the world of the living," the woman glanced over his shoulder. "And I believe that you are still needed little one." _

_Harry turned to see where the woman was looking to see a large Crow perched on the rope bridge. _

_"Time travels differently here, little one." Shelly said softly close to him. "I believe that you may still be able to help. Your sorrow is too deep for your soul to rest, the land of the living is calling you back little one." _

_As if hearing her works the Crow cried loudly, the bird flapped suddenly rising in the air to wheel around the two. _

_"My Eric told me once that when he returned a year had passed there while only minutes had passed here. You can put to rest the sadness in your soul little one." Shelly said giving Harry a gentle push towards the bridge. "Good luck little one," Shelly called as Harry hesitantly stepped onto the bridge. _

_He walked a few more paces on shaking legs until he stood in the middle of the bridge unsure of what was to happen now. The crow cried loudly making Harry look up as it flew down to him and settled on the bridge's rope guild line. _

_The crow cocked its head to the side as if saying 'well what are you going to do?' _

_"I want to go back," Harry said softly. "I have a job to do." _

_The crow cocked its head looking into his eyes and Harry felt like it was looking into his soul as well. Then the crow took flight and spiraled down beneath Harry's feet towards the raging river below. _

_Harry watched it fly, so freely in the air. The crow cried back up to his as if asking 'are you coming?' Harry looked once more to the lush forest, where Shelly still stood, on one side of the bridge and the lighten forest on the other then back to the crow. _

_His mind made up he swung his leg over the rope side rail and looked down at the raging river far below. The crow came back up to him, then spiraled down as if mocking him. Harry smiled then let go of the rope and jumped like a swimmer driving from a high board. _

_The river grew closer and closer, he looked to the side to see the crow beside him. He looked up at the bridge then closed his eyes. He felt a tingle across his skin then it was gone along with his awareness of time and space. _

xXx

_Harry opened his eyes to darkness and the feeling of being underground. A steady thump, thump, thump resounded around him as he lay on his back. To his ears it sounded like a drum. He raised his hands only to encounter a barrier above him. His hand crawled over the soft surface, he was boxed in! _

_Panic flared in his mind as he smashed his hands into the wood above him. He couldn't breath the air was thin and stale. In panic he punched and kicked, ripping away the silk covering. The wood gave wayunder Harry's hash treatment and dirt and soil poured into Harry's limited space. He may be home but he was stuck under six feet of dirt. _


	8. Interlude 2 Voldemort's discovery

Note at bottom of page to all reviewers.

"…and make sure you get them all, or I will trap you in your Animagus form in a room full of cats!" Voldemort yelled at the fat lump of a human flesh called Peter Pettigrew. "Dismissed!"

Wormtail bowed low almost falling over, then scampered out of the room.

Voldemort looked around the room suspiciously before pulling out his wand.

A sharp click could be heard from the door as it locked. He then waved it again, a serge of magic swept the room as he checked for intruders or spying devices. Standing up he carefully checked over every corner of the room only finding an old copy of _Playwizard_ behind one of his book cases.

Tucking the magazine away with the rest, Voldemort retreated to his throne like chair a satisfied smirk on his face at not finding a single spying device and his old magazine he'd been looking for, for the last week.

With a swish of his wand and after another sweep of his glaze around the room, Voldemort's throne changed into that of a muggle style armchair.

With another flick of the wand a cold glass of coke a cola appeared as well as a fold out table.

Voldemort swallowed down half the glass before sighing. He pulled the lever on the side on the chair, activating the foot rest.

A mars bar appeared with another flick of his wand. Like a kid in a candy store he devoured his coke and mars bar. He clicked a button on his chair, the book case in front of him disappeared into the wall and a television appeared in front of him. He clicked another button and a stereo system appeared where a shrunken head in a jar used to be. Hard rock blared from the CD player as he grabbed up another chocolate bar in his greedy hands.

After finishing the snack a sudden 'pop' made him scramble for his wand only to find a small house elf glazing up at him with large blue eyes. Thanking his stars that the elf couldn't spill his secret he snatched the newspaper, it held in its shaking little hands, with a snarl.

The house elf squeaked and disappeared with a puff of green smoke that reminded Voldemort he needed more weed. He clicked off the music

Regretfully, being one of those people that needs absolute silence to read.

He lay the newspaper down on his lap as he reached over to the table beside him with a wrinkled and claw like hand. His seeking fingers tightened around a smooth black container. He easily lifted the object in his hand in front of him. The container about as long as his hand was placed gently in his lap. Voldemort looked down at the object then looked around the room, as if looking for someone. Paranoia pulled at his mind and he again cast a spell to detect intruders or spies and an extra locking spell on the door.

Once he was again 100 per cent sure there was no one in the room or any one would be able to get in he turned his attention back to the container.

His fingers found the crack in the sleek, pill shaped, container. He gently pulled open the container, which folded out into two identical parts connected by a small hinge on one side.

A small metal and glass object glared back at the most feared man of the times. Slowly a slim, bony hand reached out and picked up the metal item.

He folded out the two sides of the object and slipped the reading glasses onto his nose.

He ruffled the news paper out, reaching for a pixie stick off the table. Before settling back on the arm chair and looking down at the paper.

**Boy-who-lived, back from the dead.**

Voldemort stood suddenly tripped over the foot rest of the chair and went sprawling to the ground, swearing the whole time.

He collected himself, glared down at the news paper and yelled words that nuns at his old orphanage would have died at. Due to rating problems none of his words will be printed, we must think of the children.

All around the world a weird and unexplained phenomenon happened where many mothers and nuns fainted for unexplainable reasons. If a news reporter had been in the room with Voldemort those unexplainable fainting events wouldn't have been looked away in government controlled conspiracy files. One thing, however, can be said, though, which happens to be three words which can be printed here. Harry, Potter and Kill, if they were perhaps in that order, can not be disclosed for government reasons.

This is not an Author's note what you see here is a communication between the author and her many editors. I repeat this is not an author's note.

Okay now that Fanfiction isn't watching, with their jury of Star war's figurines, I can get down to the thanking of all my reviewers. I'm sorry I haven't done this in a while, it's not that I don't can about what you lovely people have to say I just been really busy, I do read every word everyone writes, as mentioned before sorry.

Okay people and peopletts lets start this very long list. Okay I don't know where I left off last time with giving thanks so if I've missed your name it was not intentional.

xXx

Chapter 4

Thank you to the following:

Hyouden, websurffer, jaws, Blue Rosed Dragon, KatSakura, Keira (The story you are after is Your Horoscope for Today, story number: 472499, it's a great story), Spazlady, silverkitcat and synicalporphyra.

xXx

Thanks for chapter 5

Darrysev, Queen of the slash, spazlady, barbaratuka, dmweasley, Lady Jillyan Malfoy-Potter, Angels Whisper, KC, Pilas, USAcat, Black Rose Black Heart, Ceris Malfoy and Chooch.

xXx

Thanks for chapter 6

Black Rose Black Heart, rinariku, dmweasley, Kathryn, Jaws, Prongs, InsaneBlackHeart, Suzukichan and Sentarla.

xXx

Thanks for Chapter 7

Dmweasley, I-Shave-Clowns (Thanks mate, loved your review), Phoebe Halliwell, CannonFodder (Great point I've been going over the story. As the story progresses I'll be changing a few thing, but it looks like changing the part you mentioned will be first on the list. Thanks for the review and I look forward to your future options on the story.), Courtney E. Malfoy (Is Courtney your real first name? If so we have the same first name. How…odd, no, no, I mean how nice…yeah nice. Thanks for the review and for your loyalty to this story) and Suzukichan (Thanks mate for staying with the story and your many pervious reviews, they do help)

xXx

Thanks for chapter 8

Phoebe Halliwell, dmweasley (thanks mate, I thought everyone would find Voldemort's muggle tendencies amusing) and CrowX (Thanks)

xXx

Okay that's it, if I've missed anyone I'm really sorry.


	9. Driving Snape crazy

Title: Revenge from the grave.

Author: Black blade

Chapter tile: Driving Snape crazy.

Disclaimer: umm - looks up innocently - not mine.

Summary: Slash, One year has passed since the day Harry Potter was killed by Voldemort in a desperate effort to save Snape from certain death. Harry is back from the grave to finish the job he was born to do. Kill the murderer of his parents. Will he succeed or will he fall? For there is no coming back from the dead if he fails again.

Author's note: I've added a thank you to all the people who reviewed to the last chapter if anyone is interested. Also thank you to those that reviewed after the posting of last chapter if I haven't mentioned you at the end of the last chap.

Betta'd: Websuffer, thanks mate.

xXx

Harry was broken out of his memories as the door behind him banged open. Looking around the lounge, he watched as Severus storming into the room. As soon as Severus saw Harry he stalked over to him like a black storm cloud moving in for the strike.

"Where have you been and why does it smell like burnt dog in here?" Severus questioned his nostrils flaring. "And what the hell did you do to my room!"

"I believe that smell would be me," Harry said tiredly. "And I didn't do anything to your rooms. I'm also hesitant to ask how you know what a burnt dog to smell like."

"What do you mean that smell is you? And I know you did something to my rooms everything was rearranged in my kitchen!" Severus snapped, ignoring Harry's last statement.

"Yes me, had a close encounter with a fire, and I didn't touch a thing in your kitchen maybe you just misplaced your tea!"

Severus shook his head. "Same as always getting yourself into trouble just like your father, did you lead anyone else to their deaths this time," Severus spat.

Harry flinched at the words and tried to shrink back in the lounge. "What's your problem! You were acting normal before! Now you're like an enraged bull with a thorn stuck up its butt!"

Severus looked down at the boy in distaste, "You are marking my couch move, and you rearranged everything in my kitchen!"

"What?"

"Move, go some where else. Leave!"

Harry looked up at Severus then down at the couch. He shrugged and pulled himself up, swaying slightly as the blood rushed to his head. He looked around the room with uncertain eyes.

"Where am I meant to go?" Harry asked in a small voice, as Severus looked down at the man shaped black soot mark on his already black lounge.

"Go to your friends, stay in the Gryffindor tower, I don't care!"

"All this over a smell, a mark on your lounge, that I might add can be fixed with a spell, and that you've misplaced something in your kitchen?" Harry asked incredulously. Harry then stared hard at Severus with a calculating glaze. "Or is there something else to this?" He added.

Severus wouldn't meet his eyes as the two stood there in silence for a few minutes. Harry sighed and with a wave of his hand cleaned the other man's lounge. With another wave the soot and ash disappeared from Harry's clothes. Severus didn't even blink at Harry's display of wandless magic as he stared at him with hard black eyes. Harry just rolled his own as he laid back on the lounge.

"I like it here, it's cozy. Plus we have a problem." Harry told the other man.

Severus sneered, "I assumed so, you are always finding trouble."

Harry rolled his eyes again and pulled out the coin around his neck and held the cord out to Severus.

Severus eyed the piece of cord. "What, pray tell, am I meant to do with a piece of string?"

"Severus just take the damn thing," Harry snapped tiredly.

His body was still aching from the spells that had been thrown at him. He closed his eyes and waited for the other man to take the coin. The weight lifted from his hand and he let gravity bring his hand back to his side. He waited for Severus to look it over. He was almost lulled into sleep when the man spoke startling him awake.

"There's writing on the back but I've never seen anything like it before," Severus said quietly. The lounge moved slightly to indicate the man had sat down.

Harry dragged his eyes open and looked at Severus perched at the end of the couch.

"Maybe I can read it," Harry said softly holding out his hand.

Severus snorted in disbelief but handed the coin over. The coin felt warm to Harry, he didn't know if it had something to do with magic or if Severus had warmed it up in his hands.

The coin looked to be made out of a black stone with engravings on each side. On one side was an etching of a feather curled around the coin, done in great detail. With two words written next to it. A hole was punched through the stone much like those good luck Chinese coins.

He flipped it over to the other side. A bird featured on this side, much like the feather, it was also curled around the coin's center. More writing was engraved next to the bird. Harry ran his thumb over the symbols and pictures it felt smooth under his fingers. He guessed that the coin must have been made by magic for there was no rough texture to the surface. If it had been made the muggle way it would have held a rough texture made by craftsman who carved it.

He flicked his wrist making a small ball of light appeared next to him. He appreciated his new magic knowledge he'd gained he no longer had to fumble around for his wand.

He used the light to look closely at the picture and writings. The writing didn't make sense to him. He passed his thumb over it again. The stone suddenly heated under his thumb making him almost drop it. He stared down at it, as the writing seemed to wiggle and squirm like angry snakes. The two words next to the feather slowly settled from their dance into readable words.

"Severus is it just me or are the words changing," Harry said without looking away from the coin.

He felt Severus move around behind him. "What are you on about the words are the same," Severus growled.

"Crow ghost," Harry read.

"What are you talking about?"

"It says 'Crow ghost'."

Harry flipped the coin over. "'Pain fly from the great crow of the dead. To save us from his fate.' What is that meant to mean?"

Harry looked up to see Severus looking at him strangely.

"Harry the writing looks the same to my eyes," Severus said evenly as his eyes bored into Harry's. Harry got the feeling that seeing changing writing in the magical world was much like hearing voices no one else could hear, even if that time it had been a snake in the walls.

"I don't know, the writing didn't make sense before. I passed my thumb over it and it changed. Do you think this has something to do with me being here?" Harry asked hopefully.

Severus looked at Harry then the coin then back to Harry.

Finally he answered, "I don't know Harry."

xXx

A week later

"Come on get up! Get up, get up…get up now! Damn it's not working, you would think having a life of a spy would make you a light sleeper, but nnnnnoooooooo you sleep like a bloody log…" Harry trailed off as he lay across Severus's bed with a frown.

He'd been trying to get the other man up for the last TEN minutes and still he lay there looking so…

Harry's head shot up as Severus turned slightly, but then frowned again as Severus gave a loud snort in his sleep.

Harry shrugged and settled for poking the man in the side, which seemed to have more effect than the yelling from before. At least Severus was moving much to the amusement of Harry.

Severus moaned, trying to roll away from Harry. Harry would have none of that and continued to poke the older man.

After another FIVE minutes Severus rolled to face Harry with a death glare. It took Harry a few seconds to even notice Severus was awake and half a second to leap across the room to safer territory.

"Is there a logical reason why I find you, not only in _my_ room, but also on _my_ bed, poking _my_ side?" Severus asked menacingly. The look would have been pulled off to, that's if Severus didn't rub the sleep out of his eyes in a very cute way.

"What?" Harry stuttered. "Oh yeah I want to go shopping and it's already eleven in the morning."

Severus stared back at him blankly, "And you decide to annoy me, why?"

"I need your help," Harry sheepishly looking everywhere but at Severus. "You see, I kind of died and when a person passes away they are not expected to come back to life and well my will would have been read and ah…I don't have any money." Harry finished throwing his arms up, before glaring at the floor

Severus smirked, "The spoiled Potter brat without money and he is asking a lowly Slytherin for help?"

Harry shot Severus death glare, "What else am I going to do! I need clothes! Unless you want me walking around here naked!"

For some unexplainable reason Harry couldn't fathom, Severus's eyes glazed over slightly before they became unreadable obsidian again.

"Fine! If I be _nice _and buy you clothes will you shut up and stay out of my room?" Severus said, spitting the word nice as if it was a foul curse word.

"Yep, I'll stay out of your room." Harry smiled then whined, "Can we please go now I'm down to my last pair of underwear! Even Dobby couldn't find any more of my old clothes around this castle."

"Harry?"

"Yeah, Severus?"

"Shut up."

xXx

Severus was beginning to regret letting Harry buy his clothes so far he was Seventy galleons down and by the looks of things that amount would be more by the end of _their_ shopping trip.

As Harry pulled out a dark green shirt for Severus to look at when the older man noticed something that he should have noticed along time ago.

"Harry, Where are your glasses?" Severus asked between the boy's ramblings.

"What?" Harry looked up questionably.

"Your glasses, where are they?" Severus repeated to his annoyance.

Harry reached up as if expecting to feel the metal of his thick rimed glasses when he only encountered skin he pulled his hand away as if he'd been burned.

"I don't know maybe my eyes changed while I was dead or something," Harry said with a shrug before pulling out some black jeans from the rack and holding them up. "What do you think?"

Another two hours later Severus finally gave up and pulled Harry away from the shops and into the three broomsticks. So far Harry's wardrobe consisted of five pairs of jeans, (That to Severus opinion had already been worn, stabbed and beaten before being placed back on the hanger to be resold) and a few shirts in dark colours. He'd also brought a few other odds 'n' ends, including an long black coat that came down to the boy's mid-calf and which could easily pass as a robe from a distance.

Severus looked at the shopping bags with detested, he may not be a hard core muggle hater but Harry's new clothes were already giving him the shivers in a way that he should **not** be thinking of the person wearing them.

"Do you think I need anything from Diagon Alley?" Harry asked around a chunk of food in his mouth.

"Sallow the food first, didn't those relatives of yours teach you manners, boy?" Severus snapped.

Harry swallowed his food in one go, almost choking, before smiling innocently up at Severus. "I think I should go to Gringotts incase there is any loophole in the whole dying-and-coming-back-to-life-will-thing," Harry commented ignoring Severus pervious snapping.

Severus frowned, "As hard as it is to believe you may be correct in that assumption. I know for a fact that some old families keep a sum of money within family, in case a lost family member reappears and all other relatives are dead. If the Potter's had such a safety fall back is another thing, however."

It was then that something dawned on Severus, he turned furious eyes onto Harry, "And you didn't think to check that out before you used _my_ money!"

"It may have crossed my mind. HEY!"

Harry yelped as a spell arched towards him as he dashed out the door.

xXx

Harry cautiously approached the bench on which a goblin sat writing away on some form or page Harry couldn't see.

"Excuse me I wish to speak to the manager," Harry commanded.

The goblin looked up from his work giving Harry a nasty sneer and a good eyeballing before it tapped its bench three times.

"The manager is expecting you head to that door over there," The goblin snapped pointing out a door to the left of the lobby. "Have a good day." It said in a tone that suggested that it couldn't care less if Harry's day was good or hellish.

"Yeah you too," Harry mumbled as he stepped away.

When he reached the door he knocked loudly on the heavy wooden door.

"Enter,"

Harry gave the door a shove and it opened smoothly before him, he walked into the room closing it after him. The office he walked into was tastefully furnished in dark wooden furniture. A goblin, in a dark muggle style suit, sat behind a large polished wooden desk neatly covered in papers and other items.

The creature gestured to a chair in front of the desk with a wave of his hand.

"My name is Mickey. How can I help you today, sir?" the goblin said in the most polite tone Harry had ever heard from a goblin.

"My name is Harry Potter and I had the unfortunate chance of dying over a year ago. I'm inquiring about what happened to my vaults and processions." Harry said, copying what he believed Severus would have said but with less sneer and smirk.

"Very well, sir. I'll just bring up your file," Mickey muttered.

Harry watched, in well-hidden fascination, as the goblin pulled out a wooden box the size of a muggle shoebox. He placed it on top of the table and picked up his quill and wrote something on a piece of paper.

"All I need is a drop of your blood on this parchment," Mickey told him holding out a pin and the parchment.

Harry carefully pricked his finger and let a single drop land on the paper before it was pulled out of his hand and placed in the box. The box made a noise that sounded to Harry a lot like a microwave. After a few minutes a soft 'ping' rang through the room and the goblin lifted the lid on the box.

Harry had a sudden flash image of the goblin pulling out a microwave slice of pizza. Instead inside lay a normal muggle folder, 'By the looks of things the goblins must have believed that muggles had it right in the accounting department by the amount of muggle items they use,' Harry thought in amusement.

"Here we are, Mr. Potter. It seems that even though you had passed away, for a time, you still have the Potter family vault. The simple reason being that no one, claiming the Potter name, has stepped forward to claim it. Your other vaults while alive however have been passed over to those mentioned in your will you drew up before your third year, including the changes you made every year after that," Mickey formally informed the teen. "Would you like for me to put the Potter family vault back into your name, sir?"

"Y-yes put it back into my name," Harry stuttered in shock. He still had money then the realization hit him, 'how long am I going to be here? I should be dead!' he though to himself.

As Mickey filled out the correct paper work Harry's thoughts turned morbid, 'How long am I here for? Will I have to go back to the grave once Voldemort is dead?'

xXx

_Red, red rivers, red lakes, red pools. Everywhere red, everything else came second to that colour. He could see it, a deep red making tracks toward him, in a way that made his stomach roll with nausea. Everything else was dull as if seen through a foggy glass window, except the red. A dipping sound penetrated in his mind as if the colour was paint dripping to the floor. Loud cackling laughter filled the air drowning out the dripping. He didn't know what sound he would rather hear. Screams picked up in the background as the rivers of red turned darker._

xXx

Harry woke with a scream.


	10. Blood tells no lies

Title: Revenge from the grave.

Author: Black blade

Chapter tile: Blood tells no lies.

Disclaimer: umm, looks up innocently, not mine.

A/N: Thanks to every one that reviewed (Chapter 8: SaintEmo, Childe of the Night, XyBulmaXy, and Zelina. Chapter 9: SaintEmo, Phoebe Halliwell, dmweasley, Childe of the Night, lilyeyes, Myrddin Ambrosius, severusphoenix, and Lady urguentha). The last chapter when posted was unbeta'd, it has now been beta'd if you wish to go back and have a look.

Beta: Websurfer.

A/N 2: I would like to address a reviewer that calls their self, **Slash Killer**, the first thing I would like to call you is a hypocritical Hack. What do you do, you sick moron, go to every slash story out there, read **every** chapter they have posted, **and then** criticize their work? I have yet to see you write **one** chapter let alone a **nine**-**chapter** **story **containing over **twenty thousand **words! This is fiction you fool! The whole story is in my mind, I am simply expressing it into writing! I am doing this for **me**, not **you**! I **warned** everyone that this story contained **Slash**. Why **you**, for some reason beyond understanding, if you **hate** slash stories, decided to read it is beyond logic! Where I come from we only say two words to a hypocritical homophobic hack like you and that's to Fuck Off!

Summary:

Slash, One year has passed since the day Harry Potter was killed by Voldemort in a desperate effort to save Snape from certain death. Harry is back from the grave to finish the job he was born to do. Kill the murderer of his parents. Will he succeed or will he fall? For there is no coming back from the dead if he fails

Chapter 7

_Red, red rivers, red lakes, red pools. Everywhere red, everything else came second to that colour. He could see it, a deep red making tracks toward him, in a way that made his stomach roll with nausea. Everything else was dull as if seen through a foggy glass window, except the red. A dipping sound penetrated in his mind as if the colour was paint dripping to the floor. Loud cackling laughter filled the air drowning out the dripping. He didn't know what sound he would rather hear. Screams picked up in the background as the rivers of red turned darker._

xXx

Harry woke with a scream in a sweat. A thump from the other room alerted him that he wasn't the only one awake. Harry however couldn't dwell on that for he was dashing to the toilet, hand clasped over his month. All that he had eaten came up in a rush as he fell to his knees, with a sharp crack, in front of the toilet. A cool soothing voice floated into his conscious as he gasped for breath. A cool towel was placed on the back of his neck as he weakly slid to the ground. All his energy spent. He didn't even move as a cold hand was placed on his forehead and a calming voice talked to him.

All he could see was red from his nightmare and the terror he'd felt. Helplessness burned in him as the dream played out again and again in vivid clarity.

"Harry?" A calm silky voice cut through his red tinted sight.

Harry carefully turned his head to look up into the potion's master's concerned eyes.

"Severus?" Harry gasped weakly.

"Harry what's wrong? Do you want me to alert Poppy?" Severus asked in a rush as he patted down Harry's sweaty forehead with the damp cloth.

Harry mastered up a small reassuring smile, but by the look in Severus' eyes he didn't think he managed it.

"I'm okay. Just a nightmare," Harry whispered.

Harry tried to push himself up weakly, strong hands clamped around his arms as Severus gently helped him up. Harry leaned heavily on Severus as they made their way back to the lounge. Once there Harry bonelessly slid onto the lounge in a pile of limbs.

"Are you sure you don't want Poppy to look you over?" Severus inquired again.

"Y-yes just need to lay it off, it was only a nightmare," Harry snapped, his emotions thin.

Severus sighed before leaving him there. Harry closed his eyes slipping into blissful darkness.

xXx

"So, mate. How come Dumbledore is having you go to classes?" Ron asked around a mouthful of food.

Hermione, whom was sitting across from the boys, looked at Ron with disgust. She opened her mouth to tell her boyfriend off, when Harry beat her too it.

"Ron, swallow first, I do not want to see what you are eating," Harry playfully joked. Hermione settled a scowl on her face as she turned away from Ron's disgusting display.

"Dumbledore said that it would be good if I took up classes again," Harry shrugged. "I think he just wants me at the school so that Fudge can't get to me. You know the laws on raising the dead even if I didn't have anything to do with coming back."

"Oh Harry," Hermione cried, making many look up however once they realized it was Hermione they went back to what they were doing. "I didn't even think of that!"

To the amusement of both boys she stood suddenly, "I'm going-"

"To the library," the two boys finished for her.

She scowled the two before leaving in a huff, with the laughter of her two best friends following her.

"Do-do you think she knows we have class in ten minutes?" Harry gasped.

"We do?" Ron laughed. "Ha! That means they won't let her in the library!"

Ron then sobered up with a moan, "No, that means I have to listen to her all the way through Herbology, moaning about it!"

Ron turned to Harry a mad glint in his eyes, "Harry mate, buddy. You wouldn't mind sitting next Hermione would you, buddy, old pal?"

Harry slowly backed away from the deranged red head waving his hands in front of him as if warding off an evil demon.

"No, no I think you could handle her, hey look it's Neville. Hey Nev!" Harry stutter before running off to where Neville was leaving the hall. Ron's laughter following him much like theirs had followed Hermione minutes before.

"Hey Nev! Wait up!" Harry called.

The blond turned around at his name, when he saw Harry he smiled and waited for the other boy to catch you with him.

"Hey Harry, how are you?" Neville asked as Harry fell into step beside him.

"Good as can be, yourself?" Harry answered with an easy smile.

"Excellent, no potions today and two hours of Herbology this morning," Neville said excitedly.

"Ah Nev, I don't know how I would live without you," Harry gushed swinging an arm around the pudgier boy.

Neville blushed scarlet at those words and ducked his head, blushing like a Weasley.

"Now Nev, I have to ask you an important question," Harry said seriously. Pulling his arm back and making the other boy face him.

"What is it Harry?" Neville asked softly.

"I'll be starting classes today and as I've been away for the last year and I don't have a partner in Herbology, so I was wondering…" Harry trailed off, letting Neville's mind fill in the blanks.

"Oh, well Harry you could be my partner," Neville said in a rush then looked down.

"What? Oh thanks Nev, so how's Ginny? I've heard you're going out with her?" Harry said moving the conversation along.

The two made their way towards Green House Two, where class was being held, talking away with everything that had happened to Neville and Ginny. Harry couldn't help the small sweet smile as Neville gushed story after story of him and Ginny.

When they reached the green house Neville was still talking, they took their seats to the glare of Ron and the interest of Hermione. Harry watched the others file into the class with interest as he listened to Neville with one ear, as it had been a year ago the classes were a mix of all houses. He took special notice as Malfoy and a girl in Ravenclaw walked in together talking. Something must have happened while he was gone, for he couldn't see Crabbe or Goyle in sight, then again they may not have made it into the class they weren't the sharpest tools in the shed, even if they were the biggest.

"Good morning class," Professor Sprout called out as she entered the classroom. "Today we'll be working on your class project. Mr. Potter I see you have partnered yourself up with Mr. Longbottom, he will explain the assignment to you. Now class you may start."

The class bustled around Neville and Harry as the former boy explained to the latter, the assignment. The project was to take a clipping of Midnight Augustus and grow it into a small tree. Harry let Neville handle the well groomed tree and followed every instruction the other boy gave to the letter. Harry could easily see Neville's plant was the best out of everyones for it, unlike most others, looked like a tree. Hermione's was the only other plant that resembled a plant, that's if you tilted your head to the side just a little. Harry grinned as he saw Malfoy and his partner's plant which looked like a stick in a pot.

Harry turned back to Neville's tree when Neville called his name.

"Sorry Neville what was that?" Harry asked with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, I asked if you could just cut off a few leaves while I get some more soil, see all you have to do is…" Neville quickly explained what to do before hurrying off.

Harry sat back in his seat and looked at the plant. It was a beautiful plant with dark green leaves on top while underneath was a pale gold, the gold looked as if some one had brushed the underside with golden dust. The tree had naturally formed into something that closely resembled a chandle's flame. All the leaves twirled up the trunk to come to a point at the top. Neville had explained that the tree was also called the flaming bush, for at midnight every night the plant would come alive with a non-burning flame.

Harry took up the clippers, he was hesitant to clip the beautiful plant but Neville said that it helped the plant if its old leaves where cut away. Harry started in on the plant carefully cutting away the old growth.

He twisted around the clippers to get to a stubborn leaf that he couldn't reach properly when the clipper slipped, cutting deep into his hand. He dropped the clipper as he pulled his hand back with a curse.

Neville suddenly appeared next to him at that moment, when he saw Harry's bleeding hand he rushed over with a few tissues he'd gabbed off the teacher's desk.

"Here Harry that will stop the bleeding," Neville said quickly, handing over the tissues.

"Thanks Neville," Harry smiled.

He placed them over the gash to stop the bleeding but he needed have worried for he could feel his skin pulling back together, much like when he was in the burning house.

When he pulled the bloody tissues away nothing was left of the cut but the bloody tissues, a gasp next to him reminded him of Neville. Harry turned to the other boy knocking the tissues unnoticed onto the floor as he faced his friend.

"Ah Nev, you can't tell anyone about this, okay?" Harry asked in a panic.

Neville looked into Harry's pleading eyes before slowly nodding with a smile, "Of course Harry, you're my friend and friends keep other friends secrets."

"Thanks Nev," Harry cried, to a blushing Neville.

The bell ringing interrupted the two. Harry and Neville quickly packed up their supplies the bloody tissue lying unnoticed by the two boys as they left the room.

Smirking a grey-eyed figure re-entered the green house after everyone had left, they made their way over to the work station Harry and Neville had been working at. In one swift movement the figure held the forgotten bloody tissues in one gloved hand. With another smirk the figure left the green house heading to their next class, tissues tucked safely away in a concealed pocket.

xXx

"Coffee beans," Harry called to what anyone else would have believed as a plain wooden door.

The wall across the way from the door opened instead, which didn't worry the Gryffindor, as he skipped into the room beyond, the archway closed instantly behind him.

"Hey Severus, you here?" Harry called as he collapsed on his lounge.

A clatter from Severus' room answered Harry's question, even if the man himself did not.

_Fire, red and raging. Ash twirled around under his wings as he pumped to get higher. Flames licked at his feathers as smoke clouded his vision. Air, freedom. He flapped harder as he broke free. The house below him however was left to ruin._

Harry jumped like he'd been electrified, his eyes wide as he flung off his robe to reveal jeans and a shirt he picked up his jacket before slipping from Severus' rooms. In his hurry he didn't notice grey eyes following his every movement.

Harry raced to the borders of Hogwarts, where he promptly disappeared. His Shadow had called and he was damned if he didn't respond. Once he arrived Shadow winged down to him, his feathers singed and blackened with ash.

There was nothing left of the house except rumble and slanted walls to stubborn to fall as fire consumed the last of the building. Many neighbours gathered around white faced in shock. Harry could see they were just coming to the realization that it could have been them inside.

"Why didn't you call me earlier?" Harry demanded of the crow.

Shadow gave him a great imitation of a Severus glare.

"Sorry," Harry apologized. "Was there anyone inside the house?"

"Caw!" Shadow replied flapping his wings.

Harry wasn't too sure if that was a yes or no.

Shadow gave another cry before lifting himself into the air, the crow flapped away down a side street. Harry glanced back at the ex-house before following.

Shadow led him to a small park two blocks away from the burnt house. Harry followed as the crow landed on a large pipe lying on the ground. Harry guessed it was part of the play set in the park.

"Caw!"

"Okay, okay," Harry snapped at the bird as he came closer. He leaned down and peered into the pipe.

A young boy of five lay curled up inside, his face blacken with soot and clothes torn and burnt in some places. The boy shivered as his large brown eye stared up at Harry with terror.

"Hey," Harry greeted kindly.

He'd had no experience with young children, the only children he'd come into contact with were the younger years at Hogwarts.

"I'm here to help you, to take you some where safe," Harry continued as he lowered himself to the ground.

The child just shivered harder, eyes growing if possible wider as if he was seeing a ghost.

"It's okay I wont hurt you," Harry coaxed.

"No but I will,"

Pain shot through Harry as a metal pole collided with his side. Harry was flung into the air from the impact. He landed hard on his side, seeing little snitches as his head hit the ground with a soft thud. His breathing coming in painful gasps as he tried to rise to his feet. He could see a large death eater reaching into the pipe and hear the terrified screams of the child.

With a roar Harry surged to his feet. The death eater didn't even have time to look up before Harry was plowing into him. The two fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs, with Harry on top and the death eater on the bottom, as Harry punched him over and over. A power surged through his body like nothing he'd ever felt, it was like fire in his veins pushing him to pound the death eater into the ground.

A sudden kick to his side, forced him back into reality. The death eater tackled him to the ground, his nose and lip bleeding freely. Harry and the death eater wrestled for a few minutes before Harry's strength over powered the other man. With one well placed punch the death eater was out cold.

Harry scrambled to his feet as he heard more voices coming towards him. Shadow crowed loudly, Harry looked over to see the small child running towards the street.

Harry chased after the boy, his side healing as his lungs burned. The child looked over his shoulder with wide eyes that pulled at Harry's heart. Harry however didn't stop as he scooped up the boy in one movement, ignoring the squeal the boy made. He didn't have time to convince the boy he wasn't going to hurt him, not with death eaters so close by.

With a thought Harry and the boy were no longer running down the street but stood in Hogsmead. The boy crying and kicking feebly at Harry as he held him in his arms.

"Shhh, it's okay now you're safe," Harry cooed in his ear trying to calm him.

It seemed to work as the boy stopped kicking him, Harry slid to the ground in the alley. He set the boy down on the ground, tearstained cheeks and red-rimed eyes stared up at him.

"It's okay, calm down. I would tell you everything will be okay but I can't," Harry told the boy softly. "But I can tell you that you are safe with me, understand?"

The boy nodded his head shaking and shivering. Harry pulled his jacket off and swung it around the boy's small shoulders.

"What's your name, kid?"

"S-Sam," the kid stuttered.

"Okay Sam I'm going to take you to see the wise old man that lives in a castle. How does that sound?" Harry smiled.


	11. Plot thickens

Title: Revenge from the grave.

Author: Black blade

Chapter tile: Plot thickens.

Disclaimer: umm, looks up innocently, not mine.

Summary: Slash. One year has passed since the day Harry Potter was killed by Voldemort in a desperate effort to save Snape from certain death. Harry is back from the grave to finish the job he was born to do. Kill the murderer of his parents. Will he succeed or will he fall? For there is no coming back from the dead if he fails, again.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews . Sorry for the wait. As stated in my profile I did try and post this a month ago but fan fiction wouldn't let me.

A/N2: Oh, if you want to know the few sentences in the nightmare that sounds like gibberish is in code. If any one wishes to have a crack at it leave what you think it is in a review. 50 points to the one that figures it out! It's not that hard…I think.

Beta: Websurfer. Thanks mate, any other mistakes found are purely mine.

Last time:

_"It's okay, calm down. I would tell you everything will be okay but I can't," Harry told the boy softly. "But I can tell you that you are safe with me, understand?"_

_The boy nodded his head shaking and shivering. Harry pulled his jacket off, and swung it around the boy's small shoulders._

_"What's your name, kid?"_

_"S-Sam," the kid stuttered._

_"Okay Sam I'm going to take you to see the wise old man that lives in a castle. How does that sound?" Harry smiled._

xXx

"Did you get the blood?"

"Yes, all we have to do is make the potion. Did you get the potion's book?"

"Picked it up today, Pince didn't even notice it missing."

"How'd you get the pass into the restricted section?"

"Snape, I said I wanted to work on an extra credit assignment. He passed it over without question. He's always giving me anything I want in potions. He loves his Slytherins too much," the voice sounded sarcastic to the listener.

"Yes, well he doesn't trust Ravenclaws. Since he loves you Slytherin's _so _much you can get the last ingredient we need. Once this potion is done we'll have Potter in the palm of our hand," the second voice chuckled.

xXx

Harry pulled the boy closer to him focusing on the apparition point outside Hogwart's main gates. Using his magic he wound it around the boy and himself, hardly noticing the golden snake also wrapping itself around them.

With a soft 'pop' Harry and the boy reappeared where Harry wanted them to, thankfully he didn't stuff it up and leave parts of himself and Sam behind. He was still new to the whole apparition scene, that and he hated the feeling.

The boy seemed to agree with Harry, for he hung onto him harder his eyes screwed shut as he sobbed into Harry's shirt. Harry tried to comfort the boy and in the process didn't notice as the golden snake shrunk and wrapped itself back around his wrist.

When Harry finally managed to calm the boy down he swung him up into his arms. Slim legs wrapped around him as the boy's face pressed into his shoulder. Harry shifted on his feet as the shirt he wore slowly received a soaking, on the shoulder, from the kid's tears. Harry didn't mind, he just wished the kid had done it on one of the shirts he didn't like.

The castle doors opened in welcome as the two approached. Harry nodded to the school in thanks, and without stopping, he hurried through the castle, the boy held tightly in his arms. When he reached Dumbledore's office door, the Gargoyle reluctantly moved out of his way with a few grumbles and groans in protest, Harry just grinned in reply.

Albus looked up as they entered the room, "Harry what a pleasant surprise."

Harry tried not to stare at what Dumbledore was wearing as he settled down in a chair the boy still warped tightly around him. No wonder many believed the old man was mad if his fashion sense was anything to go by the man should have been looked up in the psychiatric ward a long time ago.

"Professor, there has been another attack. I was too late to save anyone but little Sam here," Harry said quickly.

Wanting to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible for Dumbledore's bright orange and blue robes with little rubber ducks bobbing around, were already giving him a headache. He didn't how the staff of Hogwarts could stand it.

"I see, this is a very serious matter," Dumbledore said carefully, looking the young child over. He suddenly began searching around in his robe's pockets after a few long seconds he pulled out a small tin. "Lemon drop?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "No thank you, headmaster."

The headmaster looked at the tin in his hand, as if wondering why no one ever took one, before turning his attention back to Harry and the small boy.

"Now, Sam I want you to tell me what happened?" Dumbledore requested softly of the small boy.

Sam looked up at the old man with wide brown eyes and quivering lip. Harry could feel how tense the boy was in his arms and tightened his hold in comfort.

"The bad people came," Sam answered slowly. "Bad people with masks and black cloaks."

Harry felt his heart clench at those words, but didn't say anything.

"What happened then?" Dumbledore asked sitting forward in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his wrinkled face.

"They broke through the door. Mummy and daddy yelled at them, while the bad people pointed sticks at them…"

"You're doing well, Sam. Keep going."

"The bad people keep screaming about something shinny they wanted," Sam sobbed.

"Shh, it's okay, Sam." Harry said softly. "Was the shinny thing a coin?"

"Yes, yes," Sam said eagerly nodding his head up and down. If the circumstances weren't so dampening, Harry would have believed that the boy looked like one of those nodding dogs. "A coin, daddy said he wouldn't give it to them. Then mummy was screaming and daddy yelled at me to run and I ran and ran. I didn't even pick up teddy from my room, I miss teddy. I miss mummy and I miss daddy."

Harry's heart broke as the child in his lap cried into his shoulder, again. He murmured reassurances in Sam's ear as he caught the headmaster's eye over the kid's head. The death eaters had gotten what they'd came for and now Sam stood as an orphan, all over a damn coin! The injustice of the matter tore at him.

"Can you take Sam here down to the hospital wing, Harry?" Dumbledore requested, his eyes looking old and without a twinkle in sight.

"Yes, sir," Harry agreed just as softly. "Do you think you'll be able to find a place for him?"

Dumbledore smiled thinly, "I think I may, now off you go."

Harry nodded and with a bit of effort and an old man groan he made it to his feet with Sam in his arms. Oh, how his back was going to kill him in the morning for that move.

Harry happened upon Severus at the bottom of the stairs from Dumbledore's office. The dark haired man stopped suddenly, his dark eyes widened slightly, as he looked down his sizeable nose at Harry.

"Mr. Potter, where did you get that?" Severus asked silkily, pointing at the clinging child.

Harry looked down at the boy, "Would you believe I found him?"

xXx

Harry smiled as Sam dug into his food with the energy of the five-year-old he was. He glanced across the table in amusement where Ron was eating just as fast. If Harry didn't know better he would have thought they were having a one on one bad manner's eating competition and it looked as if Ron was winning. Either Sam was advanced in age or Ron was just a child, Harry couldn't decide which. Catching Hermione eye he subtly pointed out the similarities in Ron and Sam's eating styles.

"Our little boys," Hermione whispered in his ear, a grin tugging at her lips even as she cringed at the display.

"They're growing up so fast," Harry whispered back, faking a tear.

"Soon they'll be all grown up," Hermione sighed, then changed her mind. "Well maybe not Ron but Sam has lots of prudential."

Harry turned his laugh into a cough.

"Hey, what you whispering about?" Ron piped up, a bit of egg hanging out of his mouth.

Hermione wrinkled her nose up, as little Sam giggled from Harry's left.

"Ron, you got something on your face," Harry declared, wanting to help his friend out.

"What?" Ron wiped at his face, smudging the egg across his chin.

Harry turned away, there was no helping him now as Hermione scowled her boyfriend for his table manners or lack of.

Little Sam giggled some more as he watching Hermione and Ron bicker back and forth like an old married couple. Not that Harry would say that to their faces, he liked his head where it was, thank you very much.

Harry couldn't help but smile at Sam, he was happy for the little boy, it had been two weeks since the attack on his home and the child seemed to be getting over his parent's deaths. He still had patches where he'd become quiet and disinterest in everything around him, but those moments were getting further and further apart. Dumbledore had been working hard to find a relative of the boy's but had come up empty handed. It was as if Sam and his parents had appeared out of nowhere. Their family history was suspiciously, not there.

Harry suddenly looked up when he felt eyes on him. His green eyes locked with grey ones from across the hall. Draco Malfoy stared back at him from the Ravenclaw table? Harry did a double take; yes, Malfoy was sitting next to the same girl that he'd been next to in Herbology, at the Ravenclaw table. The girl, who had been talking to Draco, suddenly looked up and Harry found himself looking into two sets of similar grey eyes. The breath caught in his throat until the two turned back to their conversation.

Hermione followed her friend's gaze. "That's Abigail Moon, she's in the same year as us. She's Malfoy's cousin, she also has a younger brother in Ginny's year, in Slytherin," Hermione told him.

"How come I've never noticed her before?" Harry asked turning to Hermione.

The girl shrugged. "Most of our classes before sixth year were with Slytherin and you were only here a few months of sixth year, when we had mixed classes. I guessed you just over looked her, her family tried not to associate with the Malfoy name."

"Then why are they sitting together? At the Ravenclaw table!"

"Oh, I forgot you didn't know!" Hermione cried.

"Don't know what?"

"About Malfoy! About a month or so after you…." Hermione seemed to grasp around for a word but could quite reach one.

"Died," Harry suggested.

Hermione looked anywhere but at Harry. "Yes, not long after you _left_, he went home for a weekend for a family emergency," she continued.

Ron snorted from across the table, Hermione glared at him.

"He went home and then disappeared…" Hermione explained.

"Hagrid found him a week later at the front gates in a right mess," Ron butted in. "His father turned up the next day and disowned him. It was all over the school."

"Disowned him?" Harry questioned, he couldn't see Lucius Malfoy disowning his only son and heir. Unless it had something to do with Voldemort. Did Draco not take the mark?

"Yeah," Ron answered.

"We think it had something to do with Voldemort," Hermione said after a shared looked between her and Ron. "We think that he was supposed to get the mark and backed out at the last minute. Since that day he has stayed close to Abigail and sometimes her brother."

Harry looked back over at the two grey-eyed cousins at the Ravenclaw table before leaving with Ron and Hermione to go to class.

xXx

"Have you found out anything about how I came back?" Harry questioned Hermione.

The three were in the library, books of all kinds spread out before them. The moment Harry had told her about what happened, when he'd died, Hermione could be found in the library a book in hand about the subject and a puzzled frown wrinkling her brow.

"I haven't found out much, but I've asked my mother to send the book on muggle myths and legends that I think I saw that story about crows and the afterlife in," Hermione said without looking up from her work.

"How much of the library have you looked at?"

"I haven't had much time, Harry," Hermione sniffed. Sounding offended, that anyone would question her study habits.

"Sorry," Harry said quickly, he knew how she was about her work. "I just wanted to know, so that I won't be looking over texts that you've already looked at."

That seemed to calm the witch down for she smiled sweetly. She dug around in her bag for a few minutes before withdrawing a piece of parchment with a few titles on it.

"These are the books I've already looked through," Hermione said. With a quick spell she copied the list and passed one of them to Harry.

"Thanks Hermione, what about…oh," Harry began to say.

Hermione held up a few more pages of parchment with notes on them, with another quick spell Harry now had Hermione's research notes.

"Thanks, I'll have a look around and see if I can find out anything," Harry grinned.

"Have you finished your Potions?" Hermione asked sternly.

"Yes.'

"Oh, well off you go," Hermione said with shooing motions.

"Yes, _mother_." Harry saluted, turned and marched off with a smile.

xXx

_Red, red rivers, red lakes, red pools. Red everywhere, everything else came second to that colour. He could see it, a deep red making tracks toward him, in a way that made his stomach roll with nausea. Everything else was dull as if seen through a foggy glass window, except the red. A dipping sound penetrated his mind as if the colour was paint dripping to the floor. Loud cackling laughter filled the air drowning out the dripping. He didn't know what sound he would rather hear. Screams picked up in the background as the rivers of red turned darker._

_"Fomh corte troe fhm thadowo ss lht tighe, mive ge toweo pr wivt lithoue cime, tome tortf!"_

xXx

Harry woke with a gasp, the nightmare still filling him with a feeling of horror and dread. His dreams, since the first time he'd had that nightmare, three weeks ago had been filled with those terrifying images.

Harry stood shivering in the middle of Severus' rooms. He couldn't take it any more! He'd only been getting a few hours of sleep a week! If this kept up he'd be useless. He needed to sleep and at this point he believed he would do anything to do so.

Harry crept across the room to Severus' bedroom. He quietly opened the door and slipped into the room, taking the two steps to the bed. He reached out a hand to Severus but stopped when he felt the tip of a wand stick into his ribs.

"Severus, it's me," Harry whispered.

"_Lumos_," Severus muttered.

Light flared in the room, Severus looked up at Harry with cold black eyes.

"What are you doing? Trying to get yourself killed?" Severus hissed.

"No, I had that nightmare again. Severus I need to sleep and I've already tried the dreamless sleep potion. I don't know what to do, but I need sleep!" Harry cried.

Severus stared at Harry's pleading face for a few minutes his own face unreadable. Severus must have come to a decision for he sighed loudly in the quiet room.

"When my sister used to have nightmares, she said sleeping next to her big brother used to help," Severus said quietly. "If you are quiet you can sleep here, like my sister used to do."

Harry smiled and nodded, he didn't much care if he needed to sleep on a pile of dung, if it meant he could sleep.

Severus moved over in the large king sized bed as Harry wormed in next to him. Severus spelled the light off and turned his back to Harry.

Harry didn't even care he shut his eyes and was soon asleep. He didn't even feel as strong arms came around him some time later in the night.

xXx

A large archway stretched out curving around high in the wall. Large stone benches surrounded the archway, like a half-sized gladiator arena, but instead of blood thirsty gams there was but the archway. In some ways the innocent cloth covered doorway was more dangerous than any gladiator arena. The stage on which the archway rested was raised higher calling people's eyes towards it and to the criminal that were once trial or just thrown into it without a trial. It was that that made the veil the most deadly object in wizard's hands for the arced doorway of stone was a portal to the land of the dead, the underworld.

Tonight however, something else would draw people to the dark archway and its flattering cloth covering. The veil fluttered and flailed in an invisible wind, as voices called out to the living. The dead were angry this night. They wished to escape their forced imprisonment. They possessed something that they should not have been taken before it's time and time wanted it back. Crying and wailing echoed around the once silent room as the torches flickered, casting shadows into every corner, as if feeling death's pain.

The veil swung back and forth, shaking and rustling. In a morbid dance of release and struggle. Something could be seen behind the darkness as a darker shadow passed across the fluttering plane. The whispering and wailing rose in pitch to a loud howl. The shape grew, twisted and turned, trying to free itself as the cloth tried to keep it back.

Suddenly a dark haired man leaped free, fire burning in his blue eye as he held out a wand a spell on his lips.

"Expelli-what?"

The man's voice sounded loud in the once again silent room. The man gazed around in confusion.

"What the -" 

xXx

Harry woke to the feeling of an arm tight around his waist, he felt warm and safe within the half embrace and couldn't remember what had woken him. He snuggled back into the body of his bed partner before falling back into sleep's arms. Not knowing his world was going to flip on its backside once again when he woke.

xXx

'GRIM CAUSES CHAOS AT MISITRY!'

_'A grim like dog was found early this morning wandering the bowels of the ministry of magic_.' Sara Cunning reporting. '_It took four hours for Aurors to chase the dog out of the building with only slight injuries sustained. Ministry officials are still puzzled over the appearance of the dog. _

_"I didn't know what to think when I saw it the dog," Said one frightened employee. "I thought I was seeing a Grim, usually I'm not taken in by all that divination mumbo jumbo, but it scared the bigeezus out of me!"_

_The dog managed to access the potion's laboratory and the main offices of the ministry cursing mass amounts of damage to property and files. Officials confirmed that the dog was acting like any trapped animal would and the possibility of it being an Animagus has been ruled out, even though the _ReveloAnimagus_ spell was not cast on the animal. _

_The dog managed to escape out of an open floo network and its location at this time is unknown…'_


	12. Memories

Title: Revenge from the grave.

Author: Black blade

Chapter tile: Memories.

Disclaimer: umm, looks up innocently, not mine.

Summary: Slash. One year has passed since the day Harry Potter was killed by Voldemort in a desperate effort to save Snape from certain death. Harry is back from the grave to finish the job he was born to do. Kill the murderer of his parents. Will he succeed or will he fail? For there is no coming back from the dead if he fails, again.

Beta: Websurfer. Thanks mate, any other mistakes found are purely mine.

A/N: Hey, I know it's been a while since my last update. For those that want to know I do know where this story is headed it's just being a bugger at the moment. I haven't given up!

**Last time:**

_'GRIM CAUSES CHAOS AT MISITRY!'_

_'A grim like dog was found early this morning wandering the bowels of the ministry of magic_.' Sara Cunning reported. '_It took four hours for Aurors to chase the dog out of the building with only slight injuries sustained. Ministry officials are still puzzled over the appearance of the dog. _

_"I didn't know what to think when I saw the dog," Said one frightened employee. "I thought I was seeing a Grim, usually I'm not taken in by all that divination mumbo jumbo, but it scared the bigeezus out of me!"_

_The dog managed to access the potion's laboratory and the main offices of the ministry cursing mass amounts of damage to property and files. Officials confirmed that the dog was acting like any trapped animal would and the possibility of it being an Animagus has been ruled out, even though the _ReveloAnimagus_ spell was not cast on the animal. _

_The dog managed to escape out of an open floo network and its location at this time is unknown…'_

xXx

This time:

Harry looked down at the headline and blinked, slowly he raised the pastry, which he held in his hand, and took a bite then stared at the article again.

"Hermione, am I seeing things?" Harry questioned, showing his friend the newspaper.

Ron sprayed the table with pieces of food as he spotted the headline.

"Hey!" Dean yelped, wiping the partly chewed food off his uniform.

Ron ignored him.

"That looks like Si-ouch!"

Ron glared at Hermione who had just kicked him under the table.

"Yes, Ron the dog does look like _Snuffles," _Hermione agreed emphasizing the name and joining Dean in glaring at the red head. Ron didn't seem to notice the glares he was receiving.

"Do you think it could be Snuffles?" Harry asked in shock.

"Oh, Harry." Hermione cried sadly, "Harry I know you came back from the dead, but Snuffles went through the veil."

"He could have come back!" Harry hissed. "What's to say he didn't? I came back! Why couldn't he?"

Harry picked up his bag and stormed out of the great hall, Hermione's soft brown eyes following him.

xXx

Harry didn't slow his pace until he was inside Severus' rooms, it was the only place he felt safe anymore. He flung himself down onto his lounge his mind whirling. Could it be possible that Sirius was alive? Is he a crow like himself? Harry didn't think so, if that had been the case Sirius would have come back a year ago, right?

Harry looked up with a little surprise as Shadow flew down to land on the arm rest of the lounge.

"Hey," Harry greeted stroking the bird's slick black feathers.

The black bird always reminded Harry of Severus, with his black intelligent eyes and silky black feathers. Harry smiled at the bird, he could feel the connection between the two as if it was a tight rope holding both their life forces together.

Shadow crowed softly as if to say 'wait and see everything will work out'. Harry smiled patted the bird one last time, picked up his bag and headed to his first class. He needed to face the world, maybe it was Sirius and maybe it wasn't, he would have to wait and see.

xXx

Harry tumbled out of the fireplace in a cloud of ash. He had made up his mind that the floo network didn't like him one bit. With curious eyes on him he pulled his coat tighter around himself, pushed down his fringe and moved towards the entrance to Diagon Alley.

With quick strides he made his way towards the large white building. He passed through the doors and headed towards the closest available goblin.

"I want to see my family vault," Harry said straight up to the goblin.

The nasty, hook-nosed creature looked down at him in distaste.

"Key?" the thing snapped.

Harry handed over the key without a word he wanted to get into his vault, have a good look around and then get out in the most minimal time possible. The fact he wasn't suppose to be there was but one reason.

"Everything's in order, Jibbs!" The goblin yelled over to a loitering goblin.

The goblin came closer to the older one and nodded to them.

"Take the sir down to his vault," the goblin sneered, handing Harry's key over to the younger one.

"Yes, sir. Please follow me," the young goblin said formally as he led Harry over to the carts.

A fast paced and stomach churning ride later they arrived outside Harry's family vault. The young goblin placed the key into the lock on the door and passed a hand down the door's seam. The entrance opened smoothly under the goblin's hands and Harry was soon staring at the mounds of gold, silver and bronze.

"Are you going to be long, sir?" the goblin asked politely, Harry was already starting to like the young goblin.

"Yes, I want to have a good look around," Harry replied.

"Very well sir," the goblin said as if expecting Harry's answer. The little creature held out a fist-sized orange coloured stone. "When you wish to return to the lobby hold this and say that you wish to return. I will come back down and collect you. Be warned that if you try and enter any other vault, that is not your own, we will leave you for the dragons."

Harry shivered as the goblin's tone of voice became icy at the end of his speech and could only watch in frozen silence as the being left him.

Harry turned back to his family vault and entered the large cavern. He was only there for one thing but he thought he might as well have a look around while he was there. The room was mostly full of piles of wizarding money, but as he moved to the right he found a large wooden door that broke up the walls of stone around him. He stared at the door for a few minutes trying to find a door handle or any other means of opening the door.

Harry frowned, if the door didn't have a lock or handle how was he meant to open it. He reached out to run his hand over the wood to see if there was any hidden device but the moment his hand came into contact with the door it flashed a brilliant white and a soft click was heard. The door creaked open under his hand revealing the room behind it. The room seemed to be covered from foot to ceiling with odds and ends from, what he guessed was, hundreds of generations of Potters.

There was old rocking horses, grandfather clocks, boxes of…god only knows what, books, a few swords and daggers and numerous other bits of junk and treasure. Harry sighed as he looked around, this was going to take awhile.

At least an hour later he came across what he was looking for, his school trunk. He'd also found a few books that looked interesting and a few other things that he wanted to take.

A funny feeling over came him as he was pulling his trunk towards the door, it was like he was forgetting something but he couldn't remember what. He looked around the room, but couldn't figure out what was missing. After a few more minutes of standing there like an idiot, he shook his head and dragged his trunk out of the room. The second after Harry passed over the threshold with his trunk the door swung shut behind him.

"I want to return to the lobby," Harry said clearly into the goblin's stone and was soon heading topside. However the entire time Harry couldn't shake the feeling he'd just forgotten something…something very important.

xXx

_Harry looked around his hand shielding his eyes from the burning sun. The house in front of him could easily be called a normal suburban residence. Its cream coloured paint and large arrangement of flowers making it blend in with it's neighbours in a very sickening manner. If one looked close enough they might even see the woman of the house peering out her kitchen or lounge room windows spying on her neighbours._

_This house, Harry knew, had held something deep inside it for many years that would make it unlike the rest of the street. For this house used to house a wizard, a very famous wizard at that. Yes, a one Harry James Potter used to live at this residence. _

_Harry let his feet guild him down the flowered path, after opening the white picket fence's gate. He bypassed it without a glance, his eyes and mind set on the door in front of him with unnerving intensity._

_Harry as he reached forward with a well tanned hand, as the sun scorched his unprotected skin, to knock on the door. The Dursleys, being who they are, had never given him a key and yet they would scowl him for making them get up and let him in like an annoying dog._

_Petunia Dursley answered the door her horse like face in a smile, which promptly disappeared when she set her eyes on him. _

_"Oh it's you, well get inside before the neighbours see you," She hissed at him as she looked around to see if anyone was watching before pushing her nephew into the house. _

_Harry ignored her as he raced up the steps and into his room. He sprawled out on his bed taking up all the available room, which wasn't hard to do, on the second hand single bed._

_An hour or so later, Harry hadn't been counting so he wasn't sure, a soft knock was heard at his door. Harry frowned, unless wizards had managed to get into the house without making his aunt scream or his uncle roar, it would have to be one of the Dursleys._

_Harry opened the door to find Dudley on the other side._

_"Yes?" Harry inquired, quite bewildered by the other boy's appearance._

_Dudley turned dull brown eyes on his cousin, numerous chins wagging as he turned his head. _

_"Hi," Dudley stuttered nervously. "Can I speak to you?"_

_Harry lifted an eyebrow, Dudley asking to speak to him? Hell must have frozen over and the devil had decided that being an ice cream vender was the job for him._

_Harry held open the door and waved the boy in. "What do you want?"_

_Dudley stepped into the room, looking around as Harry closed the door. The room could barely hold Harry, Dudley, Harry's bed and trunk._

_"What makes you think I want something?" Dudley instantly said in defence, nervously fiddling with a black cord around his neck._

_"Dudley you always want something," Harry reasoned. "Now tell me what, so I can throw you out quicker."_

_"I need your help," Dudley blurted out._

_"Sorry?"_

_"I need your help," Dudley repeated as if each word pained him._

_Harry gave him a calculating once over. "Help with what?"_

_"I know that when you were at _normal_ school that you used to read ahead and stuff. Well I need your help with my work at school or I'm going to be kicked off the team," Dudley said in a rush, but not without stressing the word normal._

_"What makes you think I can help you? It's been five years since I went to a muggle school," Harry counted and also lied. _

_When he'd been at muggle school he'd read ahead so far that he could have taken twelfth year high school exams and passed, not easily, but he would have passed. It wasn't that he was a geek or that smart, it was the fact that Dudley and his gang had never heard of a library and Harry had._

_Dudley smirked, which looked very frightening for it made his numerous chins lift up on one side and sag on the other. Harry held back a shiver at the visual._

_"I know you can help me," Dudley said smugly. "And you will unless you want mum and dad to find porn mags in your room."_

_"I don't own any."_

_"No, but they are easily planted," Dudley snickered, still fiddling with the black cord._

_"Fine," Harry snapped, not that he had much else to do. "What subjects?"_

xXx

Harry looked down at the math book he held in his hands and smiled. He placed the book to the side as he worked through his old school trunk he'd found in his vault.

When the door banged open Harry looked up to find Severus strolling into the room. The man stopped short when he noticed Harry, planted in the middle of his living room, surrounded by bits and pieces of…stuff.

"Hey," Harry called as he took another book out of the trunk.

"Is there a reason behind why you have turned my living room floor into a muggle junk yard?" Severus questioned.

"Yes," Harry replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Very well then," Severus said blandly.

Severus cut his way through the mess so that he could reach the kitchen and a very much needed cup of coffee, maybe this situation would make more sense when the caffeine reached his system. The man quickly reappeared with a mug in hand.

"I'm testing out this flashback thing," Harry informed him.

"How so?" Severus questioned.

"I'm picking up different items and seeing what kinds of flashback I get. I think I may be able to recall flashbacks that are not my own or someone's I know. If so, I could spy on Voldemort through memories stuck in items. What do you think?" Harry questioned with bright eyes.

"In theory…it could work," Severus said slowly after thinking the question over in his mind.

Harry smiled and pushed an old Weasley jumper and a few other things out of the way so the older man could sit down.

Severus sat in the spot his leg brushing against Harry's as the boy explained the different items and the memories associated with each. Severus smiled softly as the boy explained everything with bright eyes and a passion in his voice. It made Severus want to sit even closer as Harry's voice rolled over him.

xXx

Sirius Black, suspected right hand man to Voldemort and the godson to the boy-who-lived, stood shivering and shaking outside a run down house in a neglected neighbourhood. The black dog, sniffed around the door one last time before scratching on the door. He sat back on his haunches, waiting as heard footsteps from within the house.

A few minutes later the door opened to a man in his forties with greying brown hair and four slash marks across his face. Tried amber eyes looked down at the black dog in shock before, said eyes rolled up into the back of his head as he fainted.

The big black dog barked a laugh in a very human like way as he looked down at his friend.

'_Poor old, Remus_,' Sirius mentally snickered.

xXx

"Severus?"

"Yes?" Severus said slowly looking up from the book he was reading to look over to the boy sprawled out on the rug in front of him.

"Could I try this out with something of yours?" the boy questioned, talking about his flashback powers.

Severus stared at the boy for a long minute before nodding reluctantly.

"What type of item, is needed?" Severus asked standing up and moving towards his bedroom.

"Umm…anything should do," Harry replied following the other man. "As long as it's been around someone long enough to pick up a memory."

Harry stopped at the threshold of Severus' room while the man hunted around for something Harry could use. It the second drawer of his side table he found a necklace that used to belong to his mother. He pulled it out and with a few second of hesitation passed it over to the waiting teen.

Harry took the gold necklace in his hands; suddenly a vision overtook his vision more quickly than any before it.

_It was dark in the room, he found himself in, the curtains were drawn to block out any and all light that might have decided to enter the room from outside. As Harry's eyes grew used to the darkness he noticed a shape on the king sized bed in front of him. He moved closer to the bed and looked down on the form. He could tell it was a woman by her shape, she lay curled up on her side her face towards Harry as she slept. _

_Harry turned as the bedroom door opened behind him, a young child of four or five entered the room. A soft light fell into the room from the door, when the young boy turned in his direction, Harry couldn't hold in his gasp. The youth had dark brown eyes and short midnight black hair, his chubby face and rosy lips lit up as he spied the form on the bed. Harry smiled lightly as the young Severus Snape, for there was no other person it could have been (the nose gave him away), moved closer to the bed. _

_Harry stood back as the young boy lit one of the candles next to the bed. By the soft grow Harry could make out the woman's face. She was beautiful, She had long flowing black hair and a cute little nose and ears. Her face curved around in a love heart shape, her forehead was slightly wrinkled, but the imperfection only gave her a higher level of beauty. _

_The young boy placed his hand on the woman's delicate shoulder and gave her a slight shake as he sat down on the bed next to her._

"_Mummy, it's time to wake up," Little Severus whispered._

_The woman's bright grey eyes opened up slowly, when she saw the young boy her red lips curled into a blinding smile._

"_Severus, what a nice way to wake up in the morning," her voice was like music to Harry's ears. The woman's voice held so much love for her son that it almost brought tears to the orphan's eyes._

_Little Severus smiled. "How do you feel today, Mummy?"_

"_A lot better, love," The woman said her smile fading a little before coming back in full force. "Come lay here with mummy for a little while."_

_Severus eagerly curled up next to his mother. "Daddy says that he's going to teach me how to ride Missy today."_

"_Is that so, I don't know. Missy's a big pony I'm not sure if you're old enough," His mother worried. _

"_Daddy says I am and he's going to be with me the whole time," Severus said quickly as he put the puppy dog look on his face._

"_Oh I suppose you can, if Tobias says you're old enough then you can," Severus mother said giving into her son's pouting face._

"_Thank you mummy," Severus cried snuggling down deeper into his mother's arms. "I love you."_

"_I love you too, little one," Severus' mum said sadly._

Harry came back to himself with a smile on his face. Severus stood in front of him with an expected expression on his stern face. Harry looked at the aged face for a few minutes, he was so unlike his younger self that Harry had to wonder what had happened to that young boy to make him into the sour potion's master he was today.

"Well?" Severus said curtly. "Are you going to tell me what you saw or are you going to leave me in suspense?"

"I saw your mother, she was beautiful, she was in a large room with all the curtains drawn," Harry said softly, noticing the sad glaze to Severus' eyes. "She was lying in bed when you can in. You looked to have been four or five. The two of you talked about your father teaching you to ride a horse called Missy."

Severus suddenly ripped the necklace out of Harry's hands and rushed into his room, slamming the door after him. Harry looked after him with wide eyes, what had he said? Harry thought the memory had been a pleasant one, why did Severus react in the way he did?

"Severus I'm sorry," Harry whispered through the door unsure if the man heard him or not. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Severus didn't say anything in reply.

'_What could have made Severus react in that way?' _Harry puzzled.

xXx

The next few days were tense for Harry, Snape was acting aloof and snapping at any and everybody that crossed his path. Harry needed to know what was making the man act in this way.

'_Could it be the memory? What happened later?' _Harry still remembered the Occlumency lessons from his fifth year when he'd broken into the other man's mind. By those images Harry had believed that the Slytherin had had a rough childhood and yet by Harry's flashback that hadn't been the case. _Could his flashback be wrong?_

Harry didn't know the answer but he was going to find out one way or another he decided.

xXx

Harry lazily flipped the page in a large and battered library book. Scattered around the table were more book, (In much the same state as the one he was reading from was in) paper and pens. He'd been working off Hermione's list for weeks now without any clue on his resurrection, but he knew without a doubt that his crow had something to do with it. If only he could communicate with the bird in normal English and not flashes he may be able to find out some of his answers.

"Speak of the devil…" Harry muttered to himself as Shadow landed on the narrow window sill next to him.

Shadow looked in the window starring at Harry until he threw down his pen and opened the window for the damn bird. Shadow quietly squawked and hopped over to his table.

"You know you could save me a lot of trouble if you just told me why I've come back?" Harry hissed at the bird as he retook his seat.

The crow just cocked its head to the side, its beady black eye mocking him.

"Just one damn clue?" Harry pleaded.

The crow hopped around the table picking up pens, papers or book covers before dropping them again.

"Fine, make a mess of the table, but if Madam Pince sees you, you're on your own," Harry retorted.

Shadow crowed softly as the bird burrowed through the piles of books on Harry's table as if looking for something. The wizard just watched him idly not caring in the least that the bird was pecking at books that had been the in the Hogwarts library for hundreds of years.

"Nice bird."

Harry jumped a good foot in the air at the other boy's words. Harry turned to see a younger boy with short brown hair and an easy smile staring in awe at Shadow.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." The boy said softly his grey eyes smiling as he stroked Shadow's glossy feathers.

"No need, I just didn't hear you," Harry assured him. "I don't think we've met, I'm Harry."

"Richard Moon," the boy replied. The two shook hands as the crow went back to picking at one of Harry's pens.

"Are you related to Abigail Moon?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, she's my sister." Richard made a face when he said sister.

"You don't like her?" Harry was unsure of the expression on the other boy's face.

"No, I do. She is my sister, but she's always got her nose suck in a book. You know how Ravenclaws are," Richard laughed.

It was then that Harry noticed the green and silver tie that the other boy was wearing, but he didn't say anything about it.

"Yeah, I know how that is. My friend, Hermione's like that I'm kind of amazed she didn't end up in Ravanclaw."

"I'm still trying to work out how I ended up in Slytherin. I have yet to show an ounce of cunning which the other Slytherins like to point out all the time."

"I bet," Harry muttered as he gestured for the boy to sit down next to him.

xXx

"Do you think you will be able to recall a memory from any item that has been in Voldemort's possession, my boy?" Albus questioned sitting forward in his chair.

"I'm pretty sure, but I can't control what I see. If you are able to get a hold of one of his possession I can try," Harry replied with a hopeful light in his eyes.

"I'll see what I can do," Albus joyfully said.

xXx

Harry silently snuck into the dark bedroom one goal in mind as he moved toward the bed. He smirked as he reached the bed and slowly stretched out his hand and…opened the bedside table. He took up the gold chain that rested within it and just as silently he'd entered he left the room untouched but missing one item.

He carefully closed the door behind him and wandlessly replaced the wards and other magic he'd painstakingly warped to his needs. He moved off and into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. He conjured up a seat and sat down before turning his attention to the chain in his hand. He focused on the item and slowly a vision took him over.

"_How could you do that, he is a little boy," A woman's voice screeched._

"_He needs to learn to grow up, Eileen!" A man's voice shouted back._

_The young child sobbed quietly as the voice grew louder._

"_He is five, Tobias! Did you forget this in your diluted theory of turning him into a man when he is still a child!"_

"_Eileen, clam down you'll make yourself sick."_

"_Do not tell me what will make me sick when my son was just knocked off a horse, Tobias!"_

"_Eileen, listen to reason-"_

"_No, I will not listen to your petty excuses. He will not sit on that horse again until he is ready, do you hear me, Tobias?"_

_Silence over came the dark place as the young child sniffed and tried to stop his crying._

"_Very well, Eileen." Tobias conceded._

_A door could be heard slamming shut, a long sigh cut the air followed by footsteps and then light was flooding the small closet. The child looked up at his mother with wide, red rimmed black eyes._

_xXx_

_Young Severus pulled at the black suit he was forced to wear, he would have preferred to have worn his black robes but since there were muggles at the funeral he'd had to wear muggle clothing. His father stood next to him a sour expression on his face and dark patches under his eyes. His eyes were red, but Severus knew that wasn't from crying. The man's hands were curled up into fists and Severus could feel the rage the other man contained._

_The ceremony was over quickly which Severus was grateful for, he didn't know if he could stand there any longer watching as the one person he loved more than anything was lowered into the ground. The second the ceremony was over Severus almost ran out of the graveyard. He didn't want to be there any longer._

"_Look what you have done now, son." A sneering voice called out from behind him making Severus freeze. "You were always a burden on her and now not even your _powers _could help her."_

_The man spat the word power as if it was a curse word and even if it wasn't Severus still flinched. He turned to face his father, his dark eyes cold._

"_I am sorry, father." The thirteen year old Severus Snape said softly._

"_You should be," the man snarled getting into the face of his son, the whisky on his breath almost making Severus gag. "She was my life and she is gone! Dead to a muggle disease that not even your kind can cure."_

_Severus stood up straight to stand face to face with his father. "I am sorry that she is gone, but you weren't the only one that loved her, father," Severus said calmly, even though his insides were squirming. "She deserved more than a drunken muggle for a husband."_

"_Why you little shit!" Tobias swung a fist at his son's face but missed as the other man moved out of the way._

"_Good-bye, father." Severus drawled without emotion. _

_The dark wizard turned on his heels and marched from the graveyard and his father's yells. One chapter of his life was over and Severus may miss his mother, but he would not miss the life he'd lived since his father's first drink. He would make his own path and step away from his memories._

"_Good-bye, mother," he whispered to the empty air but he knew she heard him where ever she was._

_xXx_


End file.
